Occupant restraining device

ABSTRACT

An occupant restraining device (S 1 ) is provided with: a shielding member ( 41 ) to be let off from the peripheral edge (DW/VW) of a vehicle window (WF) arranged in a door of a vehicle, so as to shield the window; and a let-off means ( 81, 86, 87 ) for letting off the housed shielding member ( 41 ) so as to shield the window (WF). The shielding member ( 41 ) and the let-off means ( 81, 86, 87 ) are arranged in the door (FD). A garnish ( 21 ) is arranged on the peripheral edge of the door (FD) for covering the housed shielding member ( 41 ) so that the shielding member ( 41 ) is let off. An airbag device (ABM) can be arranged in the vehicle without any problem even if the occupant restraining device (S 1 ) is mounted together with the airbag device (ABM) on the vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/257,933, which was filed on 21 Oct. 2002.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an occupant restraining device forshielding the inner side of a window of a vehicle, when the vehiclemakes a rollover (or a lateral turning), so as to restrain an occupantin the inner side.

BACKGROUND ART

In an occupant restraining device of the prior art, as disclosed inJapanese Patent Laid-Open No. 310098/1993, when a rollover (or a lateralturning) of a vehicle is predicted, the rollover of the vehicle isdetected by a rollover sensor so that a belt- or sheet-shaped shieldingmember housed in the peripheral edge of a window on the inner side islet off the window peripheral edge to shield the window.

The shielding member of the prior art is housed on the body side of thevehicle. However, an airbag device for expanding and inflating an airbagbetween an occupant and the inner wall of the vehicle when an impactacts on the side face of the vehicle (as referred to Japanese PatentLaid-Open No. 26063/1996) is also likely to be arranged in theperipheral edge of the window. In this case, it is difficult to retainthe space for arranging the airbag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been conceived to solve the above-specifiedproblem and has an object to provide an occupant restraining devicewhich can arrange an airbag device without any trouble on the vehicleeven if it is mounted together with the airbag device on the vehicle.

The object of the invention can be achieved by the following occupantrestraining device. According to the invention, more specifically, anoccupant restraining device comprises: a shielding member adapted to beso let off from the peripheral edge of a window of a vehicle as toshield the window; and let-off means for letting off the shieldingmember housed, so as to shield the window. The window is arranged in adoor of the vehicle, and the shielding member and the let-off means arearranged in the door. The door includes a garnish mounted on the frameof the door and arranged on the peripheral edge of the window to coverthe housed shielding member and allow the same to be let off.

In the occupant restraining device of the invention, the shieldingmember is so housed in the door as to shield the window of the door.When an airbag of an airbag device is arranged in the vehicle,therefore, it can be arranged in a roof side rail portion or the like onthe body side of the vehicle other than the door. If the door isattached to the body, the shielding member capable of shielding thewindow can naturally be mounted on the vehicle and can shield the windowof the door when let off.

Moreover, the housed shielding member is covered in the letting-offmanner by the garnish which is arranged on the peripheral edge of thewindow and mounted on the door frame, so that the degradation of theappearance design of the window peripheral edge at a normal time can beminimized.

According to the occupant restraining device of the invention,therefore, the airbag device can be arranged without any problem in thevehicle without degrading the appearance design of the window peripheraledge even if it is mounted together with the airbag device on thevehicle.

Here, the shielding member of the occupant restraining device of theinvention maybe let off at the time of a side collision of the vehicle,but is desired to be let off at the time of detection of a rollover ofthe vehicle. This is because the vehicle is demanded to have a higherperformance to arrest the occupant in the vehicle at the time of arollover than at the time of a side collision.

In the aforementioned occupant restraining device, moreover, it isdesired that a shielding member unit having the garnish and theshielding member integrally assembled is prepared in advance. It is alsodesired that the garnish and the shielding member are arranged on thedoor by mounting the shielding member unit on the door frame.

With this construction, the garnish and the shielding member can bemounted on the door frame only by mounting the shielding member unit onthe door frame. This makes it possible to improve the workability ofmounting the garnish and the shielding member with the door frame.Moreover, if the garnish and the shielding member are assembled inadvance into the shielding member unit, it is easy to make the handlingor management for transporting/housing the garnish and the shieldingmember till these members are mounted on the door frame.

Moreover, the occupant restraining device may be constructed as follows,in case the shielding member and the let-off means are arranged in adoor having a window. Here, the door is provided with the garnish whichis mounted on the frame of the door and is arranged on the peripheraledge of the window so as to cover the housed shielding member and allowthe same to be released. Moreover, the garnish is provided with the apexportion protruding to the inner side for covering the inner side of thedoor frame at its vertical edge portion vertically extending on thefront side or the rear side of the vehicle in the peripheral edge of thewindow. Moreover, the shielding member is constructed to include avertical edge side housed portion to be housed at the vertical edgeportion of the window peripheral edge. In the vertical edge portion ofthe window peripheral edge, moreover, the vertical edge side housedportion of the shielding member is housed at a position apart from theseal portion of the door on the body of the vehicle and between theportion which extends from the apex portion in the garnish to the outerside and is arranged on the inner peripheral edge side of the window andthe door frame.

The airbag device can also be arranged in the vehicle without anyproblem, even if the occupant restraining device is mounted togetherwith the airbag device on the vehicle. The vertical edge side housedportion of the shielding member is housed between the portion on thewindow's inner peripheral edge side in the garnish covering the doorframe and the door frame. Therefore, the vertical edge side housedportion of the housed shielding member can be arranged at a positiondifferent from the seal portion for sealing the peripheral edge of thedoor. In the vertical edge portion of the window peripheral edge, morespecifically, the sealing properties of the door for the body are notdegraded even if the vertical edge side housed portion of the shieldingmember is arranged in the peripheral edge of the window of the door.Moreover, the garnish covers the vertical edge side housed portion inthe manner allowing the vertical edge side housed portion of the housedshielding member to be released. Even if the shielding member isarranged, therefore, the appearance design on the inner peripheral edgeside of the vertical edge portion in the window peripheral edge is notdegraded in the least. Moreover, the shielding member is so covered withthe garnish as to be released, so that it can shield the window whenreleased.

In this case, moreover, it is desired that the garnish includes a doorportion which covers the vertical edge side housed portion of theshielding member housed and is adapted to be pushed and opened by thevertical edge side housed portion of the shielding member beingreleased.

This is because the vertical edge side housed portion of the shieldingmember before release can be covered with the door portion of thegarnish so that the design of the inner peripheral edge side of thewindow is not degraded. Of course, the vertical edge side housed portionof the shielding member can be smoothly released while pushing andopening the door portion.

This door portion may be constructed to be opened while breaking theperipheral edge when the vertical edge side housed portion of theshielding member is released. With this construction, the vertical edgeside housed portion of the shielding member before release can bebeautifully covered to prevent the degradation in the design on theinner peripheral edge side of the window.

The garnish having the door portion is constructed to include thevicinity of the door portion and a general portion apart from the doorportion's vicinity. The garnish may be made of a two-color molding partsuch that the molding material for the vicinity of the door is athermoplastic elastomer, and such that the molding material for thegeneral portion is a synthetic resin having a compatibility with thethermoplastic elastomer of the door portion and harder than thethermoplastic elastomer.

With this construction, the garnish can be integrally formed byinjection molding method or the like without using a fixing means suchas bolts, so that the number of steps and the cost for manufacturing thegarnish can be reduced. Of course, since the door portion of the garnishand its vicinity are formed of the thermoplastic elastomer, the doorportion can be smoothly warped and opened to let off the shieldingmember easily. Moreover, the general portion is made of a hardersynthetic resin material than that of the vicinity of the door portion,so that the strength of the garnish can be retained.

In the occupant restraining device of the invention, moreover, it isdesired that the occupant restraining unit formed by assembling thegarnish, the shielding member and the let-off means integrally isprepared in advance. It is desired that the occupant restraining unit ismounted on the door frame to arrange the garnish, the shielding memberand the let-off means in the door.

With this construction, the garnish, the shielding member and thelet-off means can be mounted on the door frame merely by mounting theoccupant restraining unit on the door frame, thereby to improve theworkability of mounting the garnish, the shielding member and thelet-off means on the door frame. Moreover, if the garnish, the shieldingmember and the let-off means are assembled in advance and integratedinto the occupant restraining unit, it is easy to make the handling ormanagement for transporting/housing the garnish, the shielding memberand the let-off mean still these members are mounted on the door frame.

It is desired that this garnish is constructed to include the followingdoor portion, cover portion, and general portion excepting the vicinityof the door portion and the vicinity of the cover portion. The doorportion covers the shielding member housed and is pushed and opened bythe shielding member when the shielding member is let off. The coverportion covers the moving track, at the letting-off time of theshielding member, of the vicinity of the connection portion between thelet-off means and the shielding member, and opens on letting-off of theshielding member. Moreover, the garnish may be made of a two-coloredmolded part in which the molding material for the vicinities of the doorportion and the cover portion is a thermoplastic elastomer, and themolding material for the general portion is a synthetic resin having acompatibility with the thermoplastic elastomer and harder than thethermoplastic elastomer.

With this construction, as has been described, the garnish can beintegrally formed by injection molding method without using fixing meanssuch as bolts to reduce the number of steps and the cost formanufacturing. Further, since the door portion of the garnish, the coverportion and their vicinities are formed of the thermoplastic elastomer,the door portion and the cover portion can be smoothly warped and openedto let off the shielding member easily. Moreover, the general portion ismade of a harder synthetic resin material than that of the vicinity ofthe door portion and the vicinity of the cover portion. Therefore, thestrength of the garnish can be retained. In this garnish, moreover, theshielding member and the let-off means before actions can be coveredintegrally with the door portion and the cover portion so that thedegradation in the design of the inner peripheral edge side of thewindow can be more prevented even if the shielding member and thelet-off means are arranged on the peripheral edge of the window.

Moreover, in the occupant restraining device comprising the shieldingmember and the let-off means, a shielding member may be housed betweenthe garnish of the peripheral edge of the window and the body, if thewindow is arranged in the body of the vehicle.

Specifically, if the window is arranged in the body, the airbag can bearranged in a roof side rail portion or the like on the body side of thevehicle by housing the shielding member between the garnish of thewindow peripheral edge and the body.

In this occupant restraining device, therefore, the airbag device can bearranged without any problem in the vehicle even if the occupantrestraining device is mounted together with the airbag device in thevehicle.

Especially if the shielding member and the let-off means are arranged inthe lower edge portion or the vertical edge portion of the windowperipheral edge, the airbag can be mounted more easily on the vehicle.

In the occupant restraining device of this case, too, it is preferredthat the garnish includes a door portion covering the shielding memberhoused and adapted to be opened by the shielding member being let off.This is because the shielding member before let off can be covered withthe door portion of the garnish so that the design of the innerperipheral edge side of the window is not degraded. Moreover, theshielding member can be smoothly let off while pushing and opening thedoor portion.

In this case, too, the housed shielding member can be covered morebeautifully like before if the door is constructed to open whilebreaking the peripheral edge when the shielding member is let off.

Moreover, the garnish of this case may be formed of the two-color moldedpart in which the door portion vicinity and the remaining generalportion are made of predetermined molding materials like before.

The occupant restraining device of the invention may also be constructedas follows. Specifically, the shielding member is housed in a verticaledge portion extending generally vertically on the front side or therear side of the window peripheral edge. The let-off means of theshielding member is arranged in the lower edge portion of the windowperipheral edge while being connected to the shielding member housed,and is constructed to move the connection portion to the shieldingmember, at the action time, along the lower edge side of the windowperipheral edge. At the lower edge portion of the window peripheraledge, moreover, there are arranged a moving passage for allowing themovement of the vicinity of the connection portion between the let-offmeans and the shielding member, and a closing portion for opening overthe moving passage.

In this occupant restraining device, the let-off means moves, whenactivated, the connection portion to the shielding member, along thelower edge side of the window peripheral edge. Then, the shieldingmember, as housed in the vertical edge portion of the window peripheraledge, is let off obliquely upward from the corner, at which the verticaledge portion housing the shielding member in the window peripheral edgeand the lower edge portion of the window peripheral edge intersect, toshield the inner side of the window.

Therefore, the shielding member is smoothly let off while making anupward interference to raise the occupant, even if the occupant leansagainst the window peripheral edge on the inner side.

At the lower edge portion of the window peripheral edge in which thelet-off means is arranged, moreover, there are arranged a moving passagefor allowing the movement of the vicinity of the connection portionbetween the let-off means and the shielding member and a closing portionfor opening over the moving passage. When the vicinity of the connectionportion between the let-off means and the shielding member moves,therefore, the closing portion is removed to open over the movingpassage. As a result, the movement of the vicinity of the connectionportion between the let-off means and the shielding member to passthrough the moving passage is smoothed without being obstructed by anysurrounding member. Moreover, the opening above the moving passage isnormally closed by the closing portion so that the appearance of thelower edge portion of the window peripheral edge is not degraded.

The shielding member and the let-off means are arranged in the loweredge portion or the vertical edge portion of the window peripheral edge.Even if the shielding member or the like is arranged in the door or onthe body side, therefore, there naturally occurs no fear that themounting of the airbag on the vehicle is obstructed.

Therefore, in this occupant restraining device, the airbag device can bearranged without any problem even if the occupant restraining device ismounted together with the airbag device on the vehicle. Moreover, theshielding member can be smoothly let off to shield the window even ifthe occupant leans against the window peripheral edge on the inner side.Without inviting any degradation in the appearance of the lower edgeportion of the window peripheral edge at the normal time, moreover, thelet-off means can be smoothly activated to shield the window with theshielding member.

In the occupant restraining device of this case, it is desired that theshielding member is arranged, when housed, in the lower edge portionwhile extending from the vertical edge portion of the window peripheraledge.

In this construction, the shielding member is housed not only in thevertical edge portion of the window peripheral edge but also in thelower edge portion. Specifically, as compared with the case in which theshielding member is housed in its entirety only in the lower edgeportion or the vertical edge portion of the window peripheral edge, theshielding member can be dispersed between the lower edge portion and thevertical edge portion in the window peripheral edge. Therefore, theshielding member can be housed coping with limited space in the windowperipheral edge.

Moreover, the let-off means is let off in the direction along the loweredge portion. If the moving portion of the shielding member at theletting-off time is housed in advance in the lower edge portion and ifthe let-off means is connected to that portion, the moving stroke of thelet-off means can be minimized to make the let-off means simple andcompact.

In the occupant restraining device thus constructed, too, in case thegarnish is so arranged at the vertical edge portion of the windowperipheral edge as to cover the housed shielding member, the garnish isdesired to include a door portion covering the housed shielding memberand adapted to be opened by the shielding member being let off. This isbecause the shielding member before let off can be covered with the doorportion of the garnish so that the design of the inner peripheral edgeside of the window is not degraded. On the other hand, the shieldingmember can be smoothly expanded while pushing and opening the doorportion.

Of course, the door portion of this case may be constructed such that itis opened while breaking the peripheral edge when the shielding memberis let off.

In the occupant restraining device having the moving passage and theclosing portion, moreover, the closing portion is constructed of aremovable cap arranged at the lower edge portion of the windowperipheral edge. At the action time of the let-off means, moreover, thecap may be constructed to be pushed out of the lower edge portion of thewindow peripheral edge by a member in the vicinity of the connectionportion moving, to form an opening.

With these constructions, at the action time of the let-off means, thecap is brought out of the lower edge portion of the window peripheraledge while being pushed by the member near the moving connection portionso that the opening can be simply formed to smooth the let-off of theshielding member.

In the occupant restraining device having the moving passage and theclosing portion, moreover, the closing portion is constructed of anopenable door portion arranged at the lower edge portion of the windowperipheral edge. At the action time of the let-off means, moreover, thedoor portion may be constructed to be pushed and opened by the member inthe vicinity of the connection portion moving, to form an opening.

With these constructions, too, at the action time of the let-off means,the door potion is opened while being pushed by the member near themoving connection portion so that the opening can be simply formed tosmooth the let-off of the shielding member.

In the occupant restraining device having the moving passage and theclosing portion, moreover, the closing portion may be constructed of aportion to be broken, arranged at the lower edge portion of the windowperipheral edge. At the action time of the let-off means, the portion tobe broken is constructed to be pushed and broken by the member in thevicinity of the connection portion moving, to form an opening above themoving passage.

With these constructions, too, at the action time of the let-off means,the potion to be broken is broken while being pushed by the member nearthe moving connection portion so that the opening can be simply formedto smooth the let-off of the shielding member.

In the occupant restraining device having the moving passage and theclosing portion, still moreover, a surface skin may be arranged on thesurface of the lower edge portion of the window peripheral edge. Thesurface skin is constructed to include a body and a cover-shaped surfaceskin to be peeled from the body. The closing portion is constructed ofthe cover-shaped surface skin to be peeled from the surrounding body. Atthe action time of the let-off means, the cover-shaped surface skin isconstructed to be pushed by the member near the connection portionmoving and is peeled from the body, to form an opening.

With these constructions, too, at the action time of the let-off means,the cover-shaped surface skin is peeled from the body while being pushedby the member near the moving connection portion so that the opening canbe simply formed to smooth the let-off of the shielding member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation showing an occupant restraining deviceaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention as taken fromthe inside of a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation showing a door of the first embodiment astaken from the inside of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a schematic section of a portion III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic section of a portion IV-IV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic section of a portion V-V of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a schematic section of a portion VI-VI of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 presents front elevations showing an occupant restraining unit ofthe first embodiment as taken from the outside of the vehicle.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation showing the expanded state of a shieldingmember of the occupant restraining device of the first embodiment astaken from the inside of the vehicle.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation showing the expansion and inflation of anairbag juxtaposed with the occupant restraining device of the firstembodiment, as taken from the inner side.

FIG. 10 is a front elevation showing a shielding member unit of a secondembodiment as taken from the outer side of the vehicle.

FIG. 11 is a front elevation showing a door of the second embodiment astaken from the inside.

FIG. 12 is a schematic section of a portion XII-XII of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a schematic section of a portion XIII-XIII of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a front elevation showing an occupant restraining device of athird embodiment, as taken from the inside of a vehicle.

FIG. 15 is a front elevation showing a door of the third embodiment astaken from the inner side.

FIG. 16 is a schematic section of a portion XVI-XVI of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a schematic section of a portion XVII-XVII of FIG. 14.

FIG. 18 is a schematic section of a portion XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 14.

FIG. 19 is a schematic section of a portion XIX-XIX of FIG. 15.

FIG. 20 presents front elevations showing an occupant restraining unitof the third embodiment as taken from the outside.

FIG. 21 is a front elevation showing the action time of the occupantrestraining device of the third embodiment as taken from the inner side.

FIG. 22 diagrams the behavior of the airbag at the time of a rollover ofthe vehicle in the third embodiment.

FIG. 23 diagrams steps of folding a shielding member on the side of afront door in the third embodiment.

FIG. 24 diagrams steps of folding a shielding member on the side of arear door in the third embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a front elevation showing a door of a fourth embodiment astaken from the inner side.

FIG. 26 is a schematic section of a portion XXVI-XXVI of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a schematic section of a portion XXVII-XXVII of FIG. 25.

FIG. 28 is a front elevation showing an occupant restraining device of afifth embodiment as taken from the inner side.

FIG. 29 is a schematic section of a portion XXIX-XXIX of FIG. 28.

FIG. 30 is a schematic section of a portion XXX-XXX of FIG. 28.

FIG. 31 is a schematic section of a portion XXXI-XXXI of FIG. 28.

FIG. 32 is a front elevation showing a slide door and a front door ofthe fifth embodiment as taken from the inner side.

FIG. 33 is a front elevation showing the action time of the occupantrestraining device of the fifth embodiment as taken from the inner side.

FIG. 34 is a front elevation showing an occupant restraining device of asixth embodiment as taken from the inner side.

FIG. 35 is a front elevation showing a door of the sixth embodiment astaken from the inner side.

FIG. 36 is a schematic section of a portion XXXVI-XXXVI of FIG. 34.

FIG. 37 is an enlarged schematic section showing a portion of an uppertrim of FIG. 36.

FIG. 38 is a schematic section of a portion XXXVIII-XXXVIII of FIG. 34.

FIG. 39 is a perspective view of a portion near the rear lower corner ofa window peripheral edge.

FIG. 40 is a schematic section showing a modification of the upper trimof the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 41 is a schematic section showing another modification of the uppertrim of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 42 is a schematic section showing still another modification of theupper trim of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 43 is a schematic section showing still another modification of theupper trim of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 44 is a schematic section showing still another modification of theupper trim of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 45 is a schematic section showing a modification of a door framegarnish of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 46 presents diagrams showing a modification of a shielding memberon the side of a rear door.

FIG. 47 is a front elevation showing an occupant restraining device of aseventh embodiment as taken from the inner side.

FIG. 48 is a front elevation showing the action time of the occupantrestraining device of the seventh embodiment as taken from the innerside.

FIG. 49 is a front elevation showing an occupant restraining device ofan eighth embodiment as taken from the inner side.

FIG. 50 is a schematic section of a portion XXXXX-XXXXX of FIG. 49.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

An occupant restraining device S1 of a first embodiment is constructedby arranging a sheet-shaped shielding member 41 in a front side door FDof a vehicle, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8. Moreover, an airbag deviceABM is mounted on the vehicle on condition that a folded airbag 51(51F/51R) is housed at the lower edge side of a roof side rail portionRR.

The occupant restraining device S1 is constructed to include theshielding member 41, let-off means 48, or release mechanism, and acontrol device 64. The shielding member 41 is so folded as to shield awindow WF of the door FD when it is expanded. The let-off means 48 isprovided with an inflator 81 for expanding the folded shielding member41. The control device 64 activates the let-off means 48 in response toa rollover detection signal from a rollover sensor 62. This rolloversensor 62 outputs the rollover detection signal to the control device 64when a rollover of the vehicle is predicted.

The control device 64 and the rollover sensor 62 are arranged atpredetermined positions of the vehicle. In response to the rolloverdetection signal from the rollover sensor 62, moreover, the controldevice 64 activates the inflator 81. On other hand, the control device64 of the embodiment is further electrically connected with a sidecollision sensor 63 and an inflator 58 of the airbag device ABM, as willbe described hereinafter. In response to a side collision detectionsignal from the side collision sensor 63, moreover, the control device64 activates the inflator 58 to expand and inflate the airbag 51F/51R.When an impact at a predetermined or higher level is applied to the sideface of the vehicle, the side collision sensor 63 outputs the sidecollision detection signal to the control device 64.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, the shielding member 41 is formed of aflexible cloth having a triangular sheet shape in the expanded state.Moreover, the shielding member 41 is housed in its folded state in theperipheral edge of the window WF of the door FD from the rear edge sideto the lower edge side. The shielding member 41 provides mountingportions 42/43/44 at the rear edge upper portion, the rear edge lowerportion and the front end portion in its expanded state, respectively.Moreover, the shielding member 41 is connected at its mounting portion44 to a piston rod upper end 87 d, as shown in FIG. 2. A piston rod 87forms part of the later-described connection means 85 of the let-offmeans 48. The shielding member 41 is further connected at its mountingportions 42 and 43 to the frame 12 of the door FD, as shown in FIG. 5.Here, the mounting portions 42/43 are provided with mounting holes 42a/43 a, respectively. A garnish 21 is arranged on the inner side of thedoor frame 12, and retaining pins 30 are buried in the garnish 21.Mounting holes 15 a/15 b are formed in the upper/lower portions of therear vertical edge portion 15 of the door frame 12. Moreover, theindividual mounting portions 42/43 are fixed on the door frame 12 byinserting the retaining pins 30 through the mounting holes 42 a/43 a andby retaining the retaining pins 30 in the mounting holes 15 a/15 b tomount them on the door frame 12. Moreover, the mounting portion 44 isfixed on the piston rod upper end 87 d by means of bolts, as has beendescribed hereinbefore.

This shielding member 41 is so housed in an inverted L-shape that it isfolded obliquely backward and downward in a bellows shape, as shown inFIG. 2. Specifically, the shielding member 41 is so housed as to cross arear side corner C of a lower edge portion DW in the peripheral edge ofthe window WF. Moreover, the housed shielding member 41 is covered witha rear vertical edge portion 24 and a lower edge portion 25 of each doorframe garnish 21. This inverted L-shape shielding member 41 is composedof a vertical edge side housed portion 45 and a lower edge side housedportion 46. The shielding member 41 is folded, as shown by two-dottedlines in FIG. 8, from the flatly expanded state into such a bellowsshape as has folds FL of crests and valleys extending as much aspossible along an oblique side 41 a of the shielding member 41.

Here, the door FD is constructed, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, to includethe door frame 12 made of a sheet metal, the door frame garnish 21 and adoor trim 39. The door frame garnish 21 covers the inner side of theperipheral edge of the window WF of the door frame 12. The door trim 39is made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene and covers the innerside of the door frame 12 below the garnish 21. The door frame 12 isconstructed to include an upper edge portion 13, a front vertical edgeportion 14 and a rear vertical edge portion 15 of the peripheral edge ofthe window WF, and a lower edge portion 16 of the lower edge side of thewindow WF.

The door frame garnish 21 is mounted on the inner side of the door frame12. Moreover, the garnish 21 is arranged all over the peripheral edge ofthe window WF, and includes an upper edge portion 22, a front verticaledge portion 23, a rear vertical edge portion 24 and a lower edgeportion 25. The upper edge portion 22, the front vertical edge portion23 and the rear vertical edge portion 24 are formed to have such agenerally U-shaped section (as referred to FIG. 6) as can be fitted onthe inner side of the upper edge portion 13, the front vertical edgeportion 14 and the rear vertical edge portion 15 in the peripheral edgeof the window WF of the door frame 12.

Here the peripheral edge of the door FD on the side of the body 1 isconstructed of an inner panel 2 and an outer panel 3, as shown in FIG.6, and there is also arranged on the side of the body 1 a weather strip5 for sealing the outer peripheral edge of the door FD. Moreover, theweather strip 5 is forced, when the door FD is closed, to contact withthe apex portion 21 a of the garnish 21 protruding to the inner side andthe front edge, the lower edge and the rear edge of the door FD on thelower side apart from the garnish 21. The inward protruding apex portion21 a of the garnish 21 is arranged at the upper edge portion 22, thefront vertical edge portion 23 and the rear vertical edge portion 24. Onthe other hand, a member designated by numeral 18 in FIG. 6 is a weatherstrip fixed on the outer edge side of the door frame 12. This weatherstrip 18 is forced, when the door FD is closed, to contact with theouter panel 3 on the side of the body 1. Moreover, a member designatedby numeral 19 is a glass run.

In the rear vertical edge portion 24 of the garnish 21 and on the endportion side of the inner peripheral edge side of the window WF,moreover, there is arranged a door portion 27 which is pushed and openedby the shielding member 41 when this shielding member 41 is expandedfrom its folded state, as shown in FIG. 6. The door portion 27 isprovided with such a thin hinge portion 28 at the end portion on thevehicle's inner side as to open the door portion 27 easily. Moreover,the vertical edge side housed portion 45 in the folded shielding member41 on the side of the garnish rear vertical edge portion 24 is so housedbetween the door portion 27 and the rear vertical edge portion 15 of thedoor frame 12 as is covered on its front side with the door portion 27on the inner peripheral edge side of the window WF.

On the upper edge side of the lower edge portion 25 of the garnish 21,as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, there is arranged a cover portion 32. In thiscover portion 32, there is arranged a portion 33 which is extendedlongitudinally of the vehicle and is thinned to be broken. The coverportion 32 covers over the lower edge side housed portion 46 of thefolded shielding member 41 disposed at the side of the garnish loweredge portion 25. The cover portion 32 further covers over the track ofthe moving piston rod 87. Specifically, the cover portion 32 covers overthe moving passage, via which the later-described connection portionbetween the piston rod upper end 87 d and the shielding member 41 moves,so that the cover portion 32 plays a role of a closing portion forcovering over the moving passage. As the piston rod 87 of the connectionmeans 85 moves forward, moreover, the portion 33 to be broken is sobroken by the shielding member 41 as to open a door portion 35 therebyto form an opening 34. In this opening 34, there is arranged the side ofthe lower edge portion 41 b of the expanded shielding member 41 (asreferred to FIG. 8).

Here, the lower edge side housed portion 46 being the lower side of theshielding member 41 in the folded state is not housed in the entirelongitudinal length of the garnish lower edge portion 25, but is housedin about one third to one fifth of the entire length of the lower edgeportion 25 that it is closer to the side of the garnish rear verticaledge portion 24.

On the face of the outer side of the garnish lower edge portion 25,moreover, there are formed grip portions 36 and 37, as shown in FIGS. 3,4 and 7. The grip portion 36 grips the inflator 81 constructing thelet-off means 48. The grip portion 37 grips a cylinder 86 forming partof the connection means 85.

In the face on the outer side at the upper and lower ends of the garnishrear vertical edge portion 24, on the other hand, there are buried theretaining pins 30/30 made of a metal so as to protrude to the outerside, as shown in FIG. 5.

Moreover, the door frame garnish 21 is provided with a general portion(or a hard portion) 26 and a soft portion 29 (as referred to FIGS. 3, 4and 7) and is molded of an integral two-color molded part made of asynthetic resin such as a thermoplastic elastomer of polyolefin. Thesoft portion 29 is a portion for constructing the door portion 27, thehinge portion 28 and the cover portion 32. The general portion 26 is theportion other than the soft portion 29. This soft portion 29 is soformed of a thermoplastic elastomer of polyolefin that the door portions27/35 may be easily opened when the shielding member 41 is expanded. Thegeneral portion 26 has a compatibility with the molding material of thesoft portion 29 and is made of hard polypropylene so as to retain thestrength. Moreover, in this garnish 21, the soft portion 29 is moldedafter the hard portion (or the general portion) 26 was molded.Alternatively, the hard portion (or the general portion) 26 may bemolded after the soft portion 29 was molded. After these moldingoperations, moreover, a skin (reference numeral omitted) of athermoplastic elastomer such as olefin or styrene, leather or fabric isadhered to the inner side surface of the lower edge portion 25 of thegarnish 21 so as to improve the design (as referred to FIGS. 3 and 4).

The let-off means 48 of the shielding member 41 is constructed, as shownin FIGS. 1 and 2, of the inflator 81 acting as a drive source 80 and theconnection means 85 for guiding the shielding member 41 being expanded.The inflator 81 is constructed to discharge an inflating gas whenactivated. In the case of the embodiment, moreover, the connection means85 is constructed of the cylinder 86 and the piston rod 87. The cylinder86 admits the inflating gas from the inflator 81, and the piston rod 87is largely protruded from the cylinder 86 by the inflating gasintroduced into the cylinder 86.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the cylinder 86 is held by a mounting bracket88 and is covered with the garnish lower edge portion 25. The mountingbracket 88 is fixed on the lower edge portion 16 of the door frame 12 bymeans of mounting bolts 89. These bolts 89 are fastened into mountingholes 16 b formed by fixing nuts 16 c.

The piston rod 87 is formed to have multiple steps of a first rod 87 a,a second rod 87 b and a third rod 87 c. Of the piston rod 87: the firstrod 87 a is supported by the cylinder 86; the second rod 87 b issupported by the first rod 87 a; and the third rod 87 c is supported bythe second rod 87 b. As the inflating gas is introduced into thecylinder 86, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8: the first rod 87 a is protrudedforward from the cylinder 86; the second rod 87 b is protruded forwardfrom the first rod 87 a; and the third rod 87 c is protruded forwardfrom the second rod 87 b. The third rod 87 c is bent at its front endportion, and the front end mounting portion 44 of the shielding member41 is fixed on the leading end of the upper end 87 d by means of bolts.

The inflator 81 for expanding the shielding member 41 is of such acylinder type as is clamped by a mounting bracket 82, as shown in FIGS.1 to 3. The inflator 81 is connected on its rear end side to a feed pipe84. This feed pipe 84 feeds the rear end side of the cylinder 86 withthe inflating gas discharged from the inflator 81. This inflator 81 isfixed on the door frame lower edge portion 16 by mounting the mountingbracket 82 on the lower edge portion 16 of the door frame 12 by means ofbolts 83. Moreover, the inflator 81 is covered with the door garnishlower edge portion 25. The bolts 83 are fastened into mounting holes 16a. These mounting holes 16 a are formed by fixing the nuts 16 c on thelower edge portion 16 of the door frame 12.

In the feed pipe 84 and near the inflator 81, there is arranged a flowcontrol valve 90 for adjusting the flow rate of the inflating gas. Theflow control valve 90 is so electrically connected with the controldevice 64 that the flow rate of the inflating gas may be adjusted by thecontrol device 64. In the case of the embodiment, the flow control valve90 is normally kept in a fully open state and is controlled to such aclosed side by the control of the control device 64 as to throttle theflow rate of the inflating gas. In the case of the embodiment, moreover,the flow control valve 90 is so set that the shielding member 41 maycomplete its expansion generally at the same time as the airbag 51F/51Rcompletes expansion, if the inflator 81 is activated with the controlvalve 90 being in the fully open state. The flow control valve 90 isalso so set that the shielding member 41 may complete its expansionafter the airbag 51F/51R completes expansion when the control valve 90is controlled to throttle the flow rate of the inflating gas. Here inthe embodiment, the control device 64 activates the inflator 81 withoutmaking the throttle control of the flow control valve 90 when itreceives the side collision detection signal from the side collisionsensor 63. Moreover, the control device 64 controls the flow controlvalve 90 to throttle the flow rate of the inflating gas when it receivesthe rollover detection signal from the rollover sensor 62.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, moreover, the airbag device ABM isconstructed to include the airbag 51F/51R, the inflator 58 and the sidecollision sensor 63. The inflator 58 feeds the airbag 51F/51R with theinflating gas. The side collision sensor 63 outputs a predeterminedsignal to the control device 64 at the time of a side collision of thevehicle. The side collision sensor 63 is arranged at a predeterminedposition of the vehicle. Here in the case of the embodiment, theinflator 58 of the airbag device ABM is set to be activated when thecontrol device 64 receives the rollover detection signal from therollover sensor 62, too.

The airbags 51F/51R are made separate and independent of each other andare in the bag shapes which are inflated when fed with the inflating gasfrom the inflator 58. In the case of the embodiment, both the airbags51F/51R are formed generally into rectangular sheets. Each airbag51F/51R is constructed to include: a body portion 52/52 to be inflatedwhen fed with the inflating gas; and a cylindrical gas inlet port 53/53for feeding the inflating gas into the body portion 52/52. The gas inletport 53 of the airbag 51F is arranged on the upper rear side of the bodyportion 52, and the gas inlet port 53 of the airbag 51R is arranged onthe upper front side of the body portion 52. These gas inlet portions 53are individually connected with the inflators 58. On the upper edge sideof the airbag 51F/51R, there are arranged a plurality of mountingportions 54/54. These mounting portions 54 are fixed at the roof siderail portion RR on the inner panel 2 on the side of the body 1. On eachof the mounting portion 54/54, there is fixed a mounting bracket 55,with which the mounting portion 54/54 is fixed on the inner panel 2 bymeans of bolts 56.

Moreover, the airbags 51F/51R are individually fixed only at the sidesof upper edges 52 a on the inner panel 2, when expanded/inflated, byusing the individual mounting portions 54/54. In other words, the bodyportions 52/52 at the time of expansion/inflation are arranged to havetheir lower edges 52 b as free ends to swing to the inner side and tothe outer side.

Moreover, the airbag 51F/51R is folded in bellows from the lower edge 52b to the upper edge 52 a and is covered with the roof head lining 8 onthe inner side of the roof side rail portion RR. This roof head lining 8is made of a synthetic resin and is provided at its lower edge with adoor portion 8 a which can be opened to the inner side. At the time ofthe expansion/inflation, moreover, the airbag 51F/51R pushes against andopens the door portion 8 a and protrudes downward to take a positionbetween the occupant, e.g. a driver or a passenger, and the inner faceof the shielding member 41 or the inner face of the vehicle.

At the time of the expansion/inflation, the airbag 51F covers the upperside of a center pillar garnish 9 on the inner side of a center pillarportion CP. The airbag 51R covers the front side of a rear pillargarnish 10 on the inner side of a rear pillar portion RP.

The inflator 58 is made into a cylinder type and is held by a mountingbracket 59. Moreover, the inflator 58 is so mounted on the inner panel 2of the roof side rail portion RR by fixing the mounting bracket 59 onthe inner panel 2 of the roof side rail portion RR by means of mountingbolts 60. The inflator 58 is of dual type capable of discharging theinflating gas from its two ends so that the inflating gas dischargedfrom the front end side expands/inflates the airbag 51F on the frontside and the inflating gas discharged from the rear end sideexpands/inflates the airbag 51R on the rear side.

Here will be described how to mount the occupant restraining device S1of the first embodiment on the vehicle. First of all, an occupantrestraining unit U0 is assembled, as shown in FIG. 7. In the assembly ofthe occupant restraining unit U0, the shielding member 41 in the flatlyexpanded state is folded in such a bellows shape as to bring the frontmounting portion 44 close to the side of the rear mounting portions42/43, and the shielding member 41 thus folded is wrapped with aplurality of not-shown breakable tape members for preventing thecollapse. Then, the inflator 81 and the cylinder 86 are assembled withthe garnish 21 by gripping them in the grip portions 36/37 of thegarnish 21. At this time, the feed pipe 84 having the flow control valve90 is connected in advance to the inflator 81 and the cylinder 86.

By inserting the retaining pins 30 into the mounting holes 42 a/43 a,the individual mounting portions 42/43 of the shielding member 41 aremounted on the outer side of the garnish rear vertical edge portion 24.Then, the occupant restraining unit U0 can be assembled, as shown inFIG. 7, by mounting the mounting portion 44 of the front end side of theshielding member 41 on the upper end 87 d of the piston rod 87 housed inthe cylinder 86, by means of bolts.

In the occupant restraining unit U0 thus assembled, the retaining pins30/30 are fitted at first into the mounting holes 15 a/15 b of the doorframe 12. Then, the garnish 21 is fixed on the door frame 12 by means ofsuitable bolts or the like at the not-shown portions while the upperedge portion 22, the front vertical edge portion 23 and the rearvertical edge portion 24 of the garnish 21 are fitted on the upper edgeportion 13, the front vertical edge portion 14 and the rear verticaledge portion 15 of the door frame 12. By screwing the individualmounting bolts 83/89 into the mounting holes 16 a/16 b to fix theindividual mounting brackets 82/88 on the door frame lower edge portion16, moreover, the occupant restraining unit U0 can be assembled with thedoor frame 12. After this, the assembly of the door FD can be completedby mounting the door trim 39 on the door frame lower edge portion 16,and the occupant restraining device S1 can be mounted on the vehicle bymounting the door FD on the body 1. Here, the control device 64 and therollover sensor 62 are separately mounted at the predetermined positionsof the vehicle, and the not-shown lead wires extending from the inflator81 are connected with the control device 64 when the occupantrestraining device S1 is mounted on the vehicle.

Here will be described how to mount the airbag device ABM on thevehicle. The individual airbag 51F/51R is folded toward the upper edgeside and is then wrapped with the not-shown breakable tape members sothat it may not collapse. Next, the mounting bracket 55 is mounted onthe mounting portion 54/54 of the airbag 51F/51R. On the other hand, thegas inlet portion 53/53 is connected with the inflator 58, and themounting bracket 59 is mounted on the inflator 58 to form the airbagassembly. By mounting the mounting bracket 55/59 on the inner panel 2 bymeans of the bolts 56/60 to mount the roof head lining 8 on the innerpanel 2, moreover, the airbag device ABM can be mounted on the vehicle.Here, the side collision sensor 63 is separately mounted at apredetermined position of the vehicle and is electrically connected withthe control device 64, and the not-shown lead lines extending from theinflator 58 are connected with the control device 64 when the airbagdevice ABM is mounted on the vehicle.

After the occupant restraining device S1 and the airbag device ABM wasmounted on the vehicle, moreover, the control device 64 activates, inresponse to the rollover detection signal from the rollover sensor 62,the inflator 81 to throttle the flow rate of the inflating gas to passthrough the flow control valve 90. Then, the inflating gas dischargedfrom the inflator 81 is introduced through the feed pipe 84 into thecylinder 86 of each cylinder 86 so that the first/second rods 87 a/87 bof the piston rod 87 are sequentially protruded forward from thecylinder 86, and the third rod 87 c is protruded forward from the secondrod 87 b.

As a result, the shielding member 41 moves forward at its front endmounting portion 44 from its folded state, as indicated by adouble-dotted line in FIG. 1 and by a solid line in FIG. 8, inaccordance with the forward movement of the third rod 87 c. Then, theshielding member 41 pushes against and opens the door portion 27 of thegarnish rear vertical edge portion 24 and expands while opening theto-be broken portion 33 of the garnish lower edge portion 25. Then, theshielding member 41 thus let off can complete its expansion to arrestthe occupant.

In the embodiment, at this time, the control device 64 receives therollover detection signal from the rollover sensor 62 to activate theinflator 58 of the airbag device ABM, too. This inflator 58 discharges,when activated, the inflating gas from the two front/rear ends and feedsit to the airbag 51F/51R. Then, the airbag 51F/51R admits the inflatinggas through the gas inlet portion 53/53 into the body portion 52/52.Therefore, the airbag 51F/51R is expanded/inflated from its folded stateto push against and open the door portion 8 a of the roof head lining 8to the inner side, thereby to arrange its body portion 52/52 between theoccupant and the center pillar portion CP and/or the rear pillar portionRP being the inner face of the vehicle's inner side, as indicated by adouble-dotted line in FIG. 9. Therefore, the occupant can also beproperly arrested by the body portion 52/52 of the airbag 51F/51R.

In the vehicle of the first embodiment, moreover, the control device 64activates the inflator 58/81, too, in response to the side collisiondetection signal from the side collision sensor 63 thereby to expand theairbag 51F/51R and the shielding member 41.

Here in the occupant restraining device S1 of the first embodiment, thecontrol device 64 activates the inflator 81 without controlling the flowcontrol valve 90 in the fully open state, when it receives the sidecollision detection signal from the side collision sensor 63, so thatthe shielding member 41 is expanded to complete the shielding operationin a shorter time period than that against rollover. Even if an impactfrom the side face is applied to the vehicle, therefore, the shieldingmember 41 can shield the window WF quickly to arrest the occupantproperly.

Here, the first embodiment may be modified such that the let-offcompletion of the shielding member 41 and the completion of theexpansion/inflation of the airbag 51F/51R are made to occursubstantially simultaneously even at the time against the rollover byeliminating the flow control valve 90. When controlling the throttlingof the flow control valve 90, on the contrary, the let-off completion ofthe shielding member 41 may be made simultaneous. Then the let-offcompletion of the shielding member 41 may occur earlier than theexpansion/inflation completion of the airbag 51F/51R at a predeterminedtime coping with rollover or side collision. In this case, it ispreferable to arrange the shielding member 41 on the peripheral edge ofthe window WR on the side of the rear door RD (as referred to FIG. 25).When a later-described pretensioner 70 is used as a let-off means 48,too, the let-off completion of the shielding member 41 may be madeearlier than the expansion/inflation completion of the airbag 51F/51R.

In case the airbags 51F/51R of the airbag device ABM are arranged in thevehicle, as has been described, the shielding member 41 is housed in thedoor FD in the occupant restraining device S1 of the first embodiment.Therefore, the airbag 51F/51R can be arranged in the roof side railportion RR on the side of the body 1 other than the door FD. Moreover,the housed shielding member 41 is covered with the garnish 21 which isarranged in the peripheral edge of the window WF and mounted on the doorframe 12 so that it maybe let off. Therefore, it is possible to minimizethe degradation of the appearance design of the peripheral edge of thewindow WF at a normal time.

Even if the occupant restraining device S1 of the first embodiment ismounted together with the airbag device ABM on the vehicle, therefore,the airbag device ABM can be arranged in the vehicle without degradingthe appearance design of the peripheral edge of the window WF.

Especially in the first embodiment, the vertical edge side housedportion 45 of the folded shielding member 41 is housed at the portion onthe inner peripheral edge of the window WF of the garnish 21 coveringthe door frame 12, that is, between the portion on the inner peripheraledge side of the garnish rear vertical edge portion 24 and the doorframe rear vertical edge portion 15. Therefore, the vertical edge sidehoused portion 45 of the housed shielding member 41 can be arranged at aposition different from the arranged portion (or the seal portion) ofthe weather strip 5/18 for sealing the peripheral edge of the door FD,i.e., the portion 21 a protruding toward the inner side or the portionof the outer edge side in the outer peripheral edge of the door FD. As aresult, the sealing properties of the door FD against the body 1 can beprevented from being degraded, even if the garnish 21 covers theshielding member 41 in such a manner as enables the same to be let off.

Moreover, in the first embodiment, in the door frame garnish 21 isarranged the door portion 27/35 which covers the housed shielding member41 but is opened by the push of the shielding member 41 when theshielding member 41 is let off. Therefore, the shielding member 41before let off can be covered with the garnish door portion 27/35 sothat the design of the inner peripheral edge side of the window WF isnot degraded. It is quite natural that the shielding member 41 can besmoothly let off while pushing and opening the door portion 27/35.

Moreover, the door portion 35 is so constructed that it opens whilebreaking the breakable portion 33 of the peripheral edge when theshielding member 41 is let off. Therefore, the door portion 35 can coverthe shielding member 41 before let off beautifully, thereby to furtherprevent the degradation of the design on the side of the innerperipheral edge of the window WF.

Here, the following construction may be made even in case a portion ofthe folded shielding member 41 is housed and covered with the frontvertical edge portion 23 or the upper edge portion 22 excepting theportion of the garnish lower edge portion 25. Specifically, the doorportions 27/35 are disposed at the portions of the inner peripheral edgeside of the window WF in the edge portions 23/22. Moreover, theshielding member 41 may be so housed between the door portions 27/35 andthe door frame front vertical edge portion 14 or the upper edge portion13 that it is covered with the door portions 27/35.

Moreover, the shielding member 41 of the first embodiment is housed onthe side of the lower corner C from the rear vertical edge portion 24 tothe lower edge portion 25 of the garnish 21 in the peripheral edge ofthe window WF on the inner side. Therefore, the shielding member 41substantially rises from the lower edge portion DW of the peripheraledge of the window WF in a manner that the downward oblique side 41 a inthe expanded triangular sheet shape rotates clockwise, as viewed fromthe inner side, on the mounting portion 42 thereby to shield the windowWF.

Therefore, even if an occupant leans against the peripheral edge(especially the lower edge portion DW) of the window WF on the innerside, the shielding member 41 is smoothly expanded while raising theoccupant from the lower side.

In the occupant restraining device S1 of the first embodiment, moreover,the shielding member 41 is housed in such an inverted L-shape as iscomposed of the vertical edge side housed portion 45 extending upwardfrom the corner C of the lower portion of the peripheral edge of thedoor window WF and the lower edge side housed portion 46 extendinglongitudinally from the corner C. As compared with the case in which theshielding member 41 is to be raised from the entire region of the loweredge portion DW of the peripheral edge of the door window WF, therefore,it is possible to minimize the space for housing the shielding member 41which is arranged in the peripheral edge of the window WF. As a result,the shielding member 41 can be easily arranged in the door FD having alimited space.

In the first embodiment, the shielding member 41 is housed in theperipheral edge of the window WF of the door FD, and an inflator 81 asthe drive source 80 for expanding and moving the shielding member 41 isarranged on the front side of the lower edge portion DW of theperipheral edge of the window WF of the door frame 12. With thisarrangement, the inflator 81 is arranged in front of the occupant sothat it can minimize the interference with the occupant. Naturally, boththe shielding member 41 and the drive source 80 are arranged on the sideof the door FD so that the shielding member 41 can be smoothly expandedby the drive source 80 without any complicated structure.

In the first embodiment, the garnish 21 is provided with the lower edgeportion 25 for covering the lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edgeof the window WF, and the drive source 80 and the connection means 85 ofthe let-off means 48 are assembled in advance with that lower edgeportion 25. The let-off means 48, together with the garnish 21 and theshielding member 41 constructs the occupant restraining unit U0. Merelyby mounting the occupant restraining unit U0 on the door frame 12,therefore, the garnish 21, the shielding member 41 and the let-off means48 can be mounted on the door frame 12. As a result, it is possible toimprove the workability of mounting the garnish 21, the shielding member41 and the let-off means 48 with the door frame 12. Moreover, thegarnish 21, the shielding member 41 and the let-off means 48 areassembled in advance integrally into the occupant restraining unit U0.It is, therefore, possible to facilitate the handling or management suchas the operations to transport/house the garnish 21, the shieldingmember 41 and the let-off means 48 before they are mounted on the doorframe 12.

Moreover, the garnish 21 of the first embodiment is formed into atwo-color molded part composed of: the soft portion 29 near the doorportion 27 and the cover portion 32; and the general portion 26. Thesoft portion 29 is made of a synthetic resin such as a thermoplasticelastomer of polyolefin. The general portion 26 is made of such asynthetic resin of polypropylene as has a compatibility with thethermoplastic elastomer of the door portion 27 or the like and as isharder than the thermoplastic elastomer. Therefore, the garnish 21 canbe integrally formed by injection molding not using fixing means such asbolts, thereby to reduce the number of steps of and the cost formanufacturing. Moreover, the door portion 27 and the cover portion 32 ofthe garnish 21 and their vicinities are made of the thermoplasticelastomer. At the time of letting off the shielding member 41,therefore, the door portion 27 and the cover portion 32 can be smoothlywarped and opened to let off the shielding member 41 easily. Moreover,the general portion 26 is made of a harder synthetic resin material thanthe soft portion 29, so that the strength of the garnish 21 can beretained. In this garnish 21, moreover, the shielding member 41 and thelet-off means 48 before actions can be integrally covered with the doorportion 27 and the cover portion 32, so that the degradation in thedesign of the side of the inner peripheral edge of the window WF can bemore prevented even if the shielding member 41 and the let-off means 48are arranged in the peripheral edge of the window WF.

Here, the occupant restraining device S1 of the first embodiment as hasbeen described on the case in which the let-off means 48 of theshielding member 41 is assembled in advance with the garnish 21.However, a shielding member unit U1 may be used as in an occupantrestraining device S2 of a second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10 to13. This shielding member unit U1 is prepared by assembling a shieldingmember 41 and a garnish 21A excepting the let-off means 48.

In this second embodiment, a door trim 40 for covering the inner side ofthe lower edge portion 16 of the door frame 12 is provided with an uppertrim 40 a and a lower trim 40 b. The upper trim 40 a corresponds to thegarnish for covering the inner side of the lower edge portion DW of theperipheral edge of the window WF, and covers the upper edge side of thedoor frame lower edge portion 16. The lower trim 40 b covers the lowerside of the door frame lower edge portion 16. In the shown embodiment,the upper trim 40 a and the lower trim 40 b are made separate, but thedoor trim may be integrally molded of a synthetic resin. In this case,the vicinity of the cover portion 32 is made of a thermoplasticelastomer of polyolefin or the like, and the remaining portion is madeof a synthetic resin such as hard polypropylene or the like forretaining the strength. Moreover, the door trim 40 may be made of atwo-color molded part of the upper trim 40 a and the lower trim 40 bhaving compatibility with each other. Here in the case of theembodiment, the upper trim 40 a is made of a thermoplastic elastomer ofpolyolefin, and the lower trim 40 b is made of hard polypropylene.

The door frame garnish 21A of the second embodiment is constructed toinclude the upper edge portion 22, the front vertical edge portion 23and the rear vertical edge portion 24 excepting the lower edge portionDW of the peripheral edge of the window WF. As in the garnish 21 of thefirst embodiment, the upper edge portion 22, the front vertical edgeportion 23 and the rear vertical edge portion 24 are formed to have sucha generally U-shaped section as can fit in the inner sides of the upperedge portion 13, the front vertical edge portion 14 and the rearvertical edge portion 15 in the peripheral edge of the window WF of thedoor frame 12. In the rear vertical edge portion 24, moreover, there isarranged on the end side of the inner peripheral edge of the window WFthe door portion 27 which is pushed and opened by the shielding member41, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, when the folded shielding member 41 isto be expanded. The door portion 27 is provided on the inner side endportion with a thin hinge portion 28 (not shown) such that the doorportion 27 may be easily opened. Moreover, the vertical edge side housedportion 45 on the side of the garnish rear vertical edge portion 24 inthe folded shielding member 41 is housed between the door portion 27 andthe rear vertical edge portion 15 of the door frame 21 while beingcovered on its front side with the door portion 27 of the innerperipheral edge side of the window WF (as referred to FIG. 6).

Like the garnish 21, moreover, the garnish 21A is formed of the integraltwo-color molded part which is made of a synthetic resin such as athermoplastic elastomer of polyolefin and is constructed of the generalportion (or the hard portion) 26 and the soft portion 29. The softportion 29 is a portion to construct the vicinity of the door portion27. The general portion 26 is a portion excepting the soft portion 29.This soft portion 29 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer of polyolefinsuch that the door portion 27 may be easily opened at the time ofexpansion of the shielding member 41. The general portion 26 is made ofsuch a hard polypropylene or the like as has a compatibility with thematerial molding the soft portion 29 and as can retain the strength. Inthis garnish 21A, too, the soft portion 29 is molded after the hardportion (or the general portion) 26 was molded. Here in the garnish 21,the hard portion (or the general portion) 26 may be molded after thesoft portion 29 was molded.

The shielding member unit U1 is constructed of the garnish 21A and theshielding member 41. For assembly of the shielding member unit U1, theshielding member 41 in the flatly expanded state is folded at first insuch a bellows shape that the front mounting portion 44 may approach theside of the mounting portions 42/43 on the back side. Then, theshielding member 41 thus folded is then wrapped with a plurality ofnot-shown breakable tape members for preventing the shielding member 41from collapsing. The shielding member unit U1 can be prepared byinserting the retaining pins 30 into the mounting holes 42 a/43 a tomount the individual mounting portions 42/43 of the shielding member 41on the outer side of the garnish rear vertical edge portion 24.

Then, the retaining pins 30/30 are fitted in the mounting holes 15 a/15b of the door frame 12. When the garnish 21A is fixed on the door frame12 by using bolts or the like at not-shown portions while the upper edgeportion 22, the front vertical edge portion 23 and the rear verticaledge portion 24 of the garnish 21A being fitted in the upper edgeportion 13, the front vertical edge portion 14 and the rear verticaledge portion 15 of the door frame 12, then the shielding member unit U1can be assembled with the door frame 12.

After this, the inflator 81 and the cylinder 86 are fixed on the doorframe 12 by screwing the individual mounting bolts 83/89 into themounting holes 16 a/16 b to fix the individual mounting brackets 82/89on the door frame lower edge portion 16. When the upper trim 40 a andthe lower trim 40 b of the door trim 40 are then mounted on the doorframe lower edge portion 16, the assembly of the door FD can becompleted. Subsequent mounting on the vehicle and its action are similarto those of the first embodiment.

In this second embodiment, the shielding member unit U1 is constructedby assembling the garnish 21A and the shielding member 41 in advance.Merely by mounting the shielding member unit U1 on the door frame 12,therefore, the garnish 21A and the shielding member 41 can be mounted onthe door frame 12. As a result, it is possible to improve theworkability of assembling the garnish 21A and the shielding member 41with the door frame 12. Moreover, the garnish 21A and the shieldingmember 41 are assembled in advance and integrated as the shieldingmember unit U1. It is, therefore, possible to facilitate the handling ormanagement such as operations to transport/house the garnish 21A and theshielding member 41 before they are mounted on the door frame 12.

In the second embodiment, too, the garnish 21A is formed into atwo-color molded part composed of the soft portion 29 near the doorportion 27 and the general portion 26. The soft portion 29 is made of athermoplastic elastomer of polyolefins. The general portion 26 is madeof such a synthetic resin of polypropylene or the like as has acompatibility with the thermoplastic elastomer of the soft portion 29and is harder than the thermoplastic elastomer. Therefore, the garnish21A can be integrally formed not using the fixing means such as boltsbut by injection molding, thereby to reduce the number of steps of andthe cost for manufacturing itself. Moreover, the soft portion 29 of thegarnish 21A is made of thermoplastic elastomer. At the time of lettingoff the shielding member 41, therefore, the door portion 27 can besmoothly warped and opened to let off the shielding member 41 easily.Moreover, the general portion 26 is made of a harder synthetic resinmaterial than the soft portion 29 near the door portion 27 so that thestrength of the garnish 21A can be retained.

Although the second embodiment is not directed to the occupantrestraining unit U0, other working-effects can be attained as in thefirst embodiment. Especially in the shielding member unit U1 of thesecond embodiment, not the let-off means 48 but only the shieldingmember 41 is assembled with the garnish 21A. Therefore, the unit U1 canbe so light that it can be conveniently handled. In case the inflator 81or the later-described pretensioner 70 as a drive source for the let-offmeans 48 is to be changed, moreover, this change can be easily madewithout any modification in the garnish 21A and so on of the unit U1.

Here in the first and second embodiments, the inflator 81 as a drivesource 80 for the let-off means 48 for expanding the shielding member 41may be exemplified by those employing gas pressure of: the type in whicha combustion gas is produced by an ignition; the type in which acompressed gas is discharged; or their mixed type. The construction maybe modified such that the shielding member 41 is expanded byelectric/mechanical means, such as a pretensioner as a drive source.This pretensioner can be exemplified by those using gas pressure of theinflator, an electric motor, the restoring force of a spring, an electromagnetic solenoid and so on.

In order to guide the expansion of the shielding member 41, stillmoreover, a guide rail or the like can be used. In this case, a camfollower to be guided by the guide rail or the like may be mounted onthe side of the shielding member 41.

An occupant restraining device S3 of the third embodiment isconstructed, as shown in FIGS. 14, 15, 18 and 21, to include a shieldingmember 41 (41F/41R) which is so let off the peripheral edge of a windowWF/WR as to shield the inner side of the window WF/WR. On a vehiclehaving the occupant restraining device S3, there is also mounted anairbag device ABM. This airbag device ABM is provided with the airbag 51(51F/51R) which is to be so inflated from the peripheral edge of thewindow WF/WR as to be interposed between the shielding member 41 and theoccupant.

Here in the third embodiment, the description of the portions similar tothose of the first and second embodiments will be partially omitted bydesignating them by the common reference numerals.

The shielding member 41 is activated by the pretensioner 70 acting asthe let-off means 48, and the airbag 51 is expanded/inflated by aninflating gas from the inflator 58. The pretensioner 70 and the inflator58 are operationally controlled by the control device 64. As in thefirst embodiment, the control device 64 activates the pretensioner 70and the inflator 58 in response to the predetermined signal from therollover sensor 62.

In the vehicle of the third embodiment, moreover, the window WF/WR isarranged individually in the front door FD and the rear door RD, and theshielding member 41F is arranged in the front door FD whereas theshielding member 41R is arranged in the rear door RD. Moreover, theairbag 51F is arranged at the roof side rail portion RR on the side ofthe body 1 and in the peripheral edge of the window WF from the upperside of the front door FD to the upper side of a center pillar portionCP, and the airbag 51R is arranged at the roof side rail portion RR onthe side of the body 1 and in the peripheral edge of the window WR fromthe upper side of the rear door RD to the upper side of the rear pillarportion RP.

The front door FD and the rear door RD are made to have substantiallyidentical constructions excepting the shapes of the openings and theperipheral edges of the windows WF/WR, as shown in FIG. 15. The doorFD/RD is constructed to include: the door frame 12 on the outer side; adoor frame garnish 21 on the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR of thedoor frame 12 on the inner side; and the door trim 39 arranged below thegarnish 21 of the door frame 12 on the inner side.

Each door frame 12 is made of a sheet metal and is constructed, as inthe first embodiment, to include the upper edge portion 13, thefront/rear vertical edge portions 14/15 and the lower edge portion 16arranged on the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR. Near theupper/lower end portions of the rear vertical edge portion 15, there areformed mounting holes 15 a/15 b for mounting the individual shieldingmembers 41F/41R (as referred to FIG. 19).

In each door frame garnish 21, the door portion 27, the cover portion 32and their vicinities are made of the soft portion 29 of thermoplasticelastomer of polyolefin, and the remaining portions are made of thegeneral portion 26 of polypropylene. Like the first embodiment, each ofthe garnishes 21 is provided with the upper edge portion 22, thefront/rear vertical edge portions 23/24 and the lower edge portion 25,which are arranged on the peripheral edge around the window WF/WR. Theupper edge portion 22, the front vertical edge portion 23 and the rearvertical edge portion 24 are formed to have such a generally U-shapedsection as can be fitted on the inner side of the upper edge portion 13,the front vertical edge portion 14 and the rear vertical edge portion 15of the door frame 12 (as referred to FIG. 16).

In the rear vertical edge portion 24 covering the housed shieldingmember 41F/41R, as in the first embodiment, there are buried theretaining pins 30 which are made of a metal (as referred to FIG. 19). Inthe rear vertical edge portion 24 of each garnish 21, moreover, there isarranged the door portion 27 which is pushed and opened by the shieldingmember 41F/41R when this shielding member 41 is let off, as shown inFIG. 16. The door portion 27 is provided with the thin hinge portion 28at the end portion on the inner side. Moreover, the vertical edge sidehoused portion 45 in the housed shielding member 41 is so housed betweenthe door portion 27 and the rear vertical edge portion 15 of the doorframe 12 as is covered on its front side with the door portion 27.

On the upper edge side of the lower edge portion 25 of the garnish 21,as in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 18, there is arranged thecover portion 32 which is provided with the thin portion 33 to bebroken. The cover portion 32 covers over not only the lower edge sidehoused portion 46 of the housed shielding member 41 but also the trackof the moving tension member leading end 72 a of the pretensioner 70. Asthe tension member leading end 72 a moves forward, (as referred to FIGS.14 and 15), the portion 33 to be broken is so broken by the shieldingmember 41 as to open the door portion 35 thereby to form the opening 34.In this opening 34, there is arranged the lower edge portion 41 b of theexpanded shielding member 41.

On the outer side face of the garnish lower edge portion 25, moreover,there is mounted the body 71 of the pretensioner 70 (as referred to FIG.20).

On the other hand, the side of the body 1 of the peripheral edge of thedoor FD/RD is constructed of the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3, asshown in FIG. 16. There is also arranged the weather strip 5. Thisweather strip 5 is forced, when the door FD/RD is closed, to contactwith the apex portion 21 a of the garnish 21 protruding to the innerside and with the front edge, the lower edge and the rear edge of thelower portion of the door FD/RD apart from the garnish 21. The apexportion 21 a protruding to the inner side of the garnish 21 is arranged,as in the first embodiment, at the upper edge portion 22, the frontvertical edge portion 23 and the rear vertical edge portion 24.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, moreover, each shielding member 41(41F/41R)is formed of a cloth of flexible polyester or polyamide yarns to shieldthe window WF/WR. Most of the shielding member 41F, as designated bynumeral 45, is housed in the vertical edge portion VW of the peripheraledge of the window WF, which is arranged generally vertically on therear side. Most of the shielding member 41R, as designated by numeral45, is also housed in the vertical edge portion VW of the peripheraledge of the window WR, which is arranged generally vertically on therear side.

In the case of the third embodiment, the window WF/WR are opened in thefront/rear door FD/RD. The shielding member 41F/41R is folded and housedbetween the rear vertical edge portion 15 of the door frame 12 and therear vertical edge portion 24 of the door frame garnish 21 in theperipheral edge of the window WF/WR of the door FD/RD, respectively, andits excess portion 46 is folded and housed between the lower edgeportion 16 of the door frame 12 and the lower edge portion 25 of thedoor frame garnish 21, as located at the lower edge portion DW of theperipheral edge of the window WF/WR.

Moreover, each of the shielding member 41F/41R is formed to take such agenerally triangular sheet shape at the time of let-off completion ashas apexes 42/43 at the upper and lower portions of the vertical edgeportion VW on the housed side and an apex 44 at the leading end portionextending along the lower edge of the peripheral edge of the windowWF/WR. Moreover, the upper/lower apex portions 42/43 are fixed at therear vertical edge portion 15 of the door frame 12 in the vertical edgeportion VW, and the apex portion 44 on the leading end side is connectedto a tension member 72 of the pretensioner 70. The upper/lower apexportions 42/43 are constructed to include mounting holes 42 a/43 a. Theupper/lower apex portions 42/43 are fixed on the door frame 12 byretaining the retaining pins 30 buried in the garnish 21, through themounting holes 42 a/43 a, in the mounting holes 15 a/15 b to mount onthe rear vertical edge portion 15 of the door frame 12. Each of theleading end apex portions 44 is connected to the leading end 72 a of thetension member 72 of the pretensioner 70.

As shown in FIG. 15, moreover, the shielding member 41F/41R is housed insuch an inverted-L shape, as has the vertical edge side housed portion45 and the lower edge side housed portion 46 across the corner C on thelower rear side of the window WF/WR. This shielding member 41F/41R isfolded, as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, in a folding-fan shape having theupper apex portion 42 of the shielding member 41F/41R in the flatlyexpanded state as the fan's center, in which the folding width is wideron the side of the lower edge portion 41 b than on the side of the upperapex portion 42.

In the third embodiment, too, the lower edge side housed portion 46 ofeach shielding member 41 in the housed state is not housed in its wholelongitudinal length of the garnish lower edge portion 25 but in aboutone third to one fifth portion of the entire length of the lower edgeportion 25, and the portion 46 is closer to the side of the garnish rearvertical edge portion 24.

The pretensioner 70 as the let-off means 48 of each shielding member41F/41R is constructed to include a body 71 as the drive source and aflexible tension member 72 as the connection means. The body 71 isenabled to pull the tension member 72 extending from the body 71instantly, by using a gas pressure of the inflator, an electric motor,restoring force of spring, an electromagnetic solenoid and so on. In thecase of the third embodiment, the body 71 is mounted in advance togetherwith each shielding member 41F/41R on the outer side face of the garnish21 of each door FD/RD.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 21, the airbags 51F/51R are made separate andindependent of each other in a bag shape which is to be inflated with aninflating gas from the inflator 58. Each airbag 51F/51R is provided, asin the first embodiment, with the body portion 52 of a generallyrectangular sheet shape, the gas inlet portion 53 and the mountingportions 54. By using the mounting bracket 55 and the bolts 56,moreover, each of the mounting portions 54 is fixed on the inner panel 2on the side of the body 1 so that each airbag 51F/51R is arranged at theroof side rail portion RR on the side of the body 1.

In the airbag 51F/51R, like the first embodiment, only the side of theupper end 52 a of the body portion 52 at the expanded and inflated timeis fixed on the inner panel 2 by using the mounting portions 54. In theairbag 51F/51R, more specifically, the side of the lower end 52 b of thebody portion being expanded and inflated is left as free end so that itcan swing to the inner or outer direction generally perpendicular to thewindow WF/WR.

Moreover, the airbag 51F/51R is folded in a bellows shape from the sideof the lower end 52 b to the side of the upper end 52 a, and is housedin an upper edge portion UW in the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR.The housed airbag 51F/51R is covered with the roof head lining 8 on theinner side of the roof side rail portion RR. The roof head lining 8 ismade of a synthetic resin and is provided at its lower edge with thedoor portion 8 a which can be opened to the inner side. At the time ofexpansion/inflation, the airbag 51F/51R pushes and opens the doorportion 8 a and protrudes downward so that it is interposed between theoccupant and the shielding member 41F/41R.

At the time of expansion/inflation, the airbag 51F covers the inner sideof the rear portion of the window WF, the upper side of the centerpillar garnish 9 on the inner side of the center pillar portion CP, andthe inner side of the front portion of the window WR. The airbag 51Rcovers the inner side of the rear portion of the window WR and the frontside of the rear pillar garnish 10 on the inner side of the rear pillarportion RP.

In the case of the third embodiment, moreover, the airbag 51F/51R isarranged such that the substantially entire length of the lower end 52 bthereof excepting the portion of the pillar portion CP/RP horizontallyoverlaps the shielding member 41F/41R at the time of let-off completion(as referred to FIG. 21), at the time of completion of theexpansion/inflation.

The inflator 58 for inflating the airbag 51F/51R is of a cylinder typeand is mounted on the inner panel 2 of the roof side rail portion RR byusing the mounting bracket 59 and the mounting bolts 60. The inflator 58is of a dual type for expanding and inflating the airbag 51F on thefront side with the inflating gas discharged from its front end side andthe airbag 51R on the rear side with the inflating gas discharged fromits rear side.

Here will be described how to mount the occupant restraining device S3of the third embodiment on the vehicle. First of all, an occupantrestraining unit U0F/U0R is assembled, as shown in FIG. 20. The occupantrestraining unit U0F/U0R is constructed to include the shielding member41F/41R, the garnish 21 and the pretensioner 70. These members areintegrated to improve the workability of assembling themselves on thedoor frame 12.

In the operation to assemble the occupant restraining unit U0F/U0R, theshielding member 41 in the flatly expanded state is folded in afolding-fan shape on the upper apex portion 42 so that the folding widthis larger on the side of the lower edge portion 41 b than on the side ofthe upper apex portion 42, bringing the leading end apex portion 44closer to the lower apex portion 43, as shown in FIGS. 23A/23B and24A/24B. Next, the shielding member 41 thus folded is wrapped with aplurality of breakable tape members 47 for preventing it fromcollapsing, as shown in FIGS. 23C/24C. In this folded state, the foldedportion from the upper apex portion 42 to the lower apex portion 43provides the vertical edge side housed portion 45 to be housed betweenthe rear vertical edge portion 15 of the door frame 12 and the rearvertical edge portion 24 of the door frame garnish 21. On the otherhand, the folded portion from the lower apex portion 43 to the leadingend apex portion 44 provides the lower edge side housed portion 46 to behoused between the lower edge portion 16 of the door frame 12 and thelower edge portion 25 of the door frame garnish 21. Moreover, thepretensioner 70 is mounted on the face of the outer side of the garnish21. Here, the leading end apex portion 44 is so exposed at the leadingend position as to facilitate the connection to the tension memberleading end 72 a of the later-described pretensioner 70 in thecompletely folded state.

Then, the retaining pins 30 are inserted into the mounting holes 42 a/43a to mount the upper/lower apex portions 42/43 of the shielding member41 on the outer side of the garnish rear vertical edge portion 24. Then,the occupant restraining unit U0F/U0R can be assembled by connecting theleading end apex portion 44 of the shielding member 41 to the leadingend 72 a of the tension member 72 of the pretensioner 70.

In the occupant restraining units U0F/U0R thus assembled, the retainingpins 30/30 are fitted in the mounting holes 15 a/15 b of the door frame12. Moreover, the garnish 21 is fixed on the door frame 12 of each doorFD/RD by using bolts properly at not-shown portions while the upper edgeportion 22, the front vertical edge portion 23 and the rear verticaledge portion 24 of the garnish 21 being fitted on the upper edge portion13, the front vertical edge portion 14 and the rear vertical edgeportion 15 of the door frame 12. Thus, the occupant restraining unitU0F/U0R can be assembled with a predetermined door frame 12. After this,the assembly of the door FD/RD can be completed if each door trim 39 ismounted on the lower portion of the door frame lower edge portion 16.When the door FD/RD is then mounted on the body 1, the occupantrestraining device S3 can be mounted on the vehicle.

Here will be described how to mount the airbag device ABM on thevehicle. First of all, each airbag 51F/51R is folded up toward the sideof the upper end 52 a, and is wrapped with a not-shown breakable tapemember so that it may not collapse. Then, the mounting bracket 55 ismounted on each mounting portion 54 of the airbag 51F/51R. Moreover,each gas inlet portion 53 is connected to the inflator 58, and themounting bracket 59 is mounted on the inflator 58 to form the airbagassembly. After this, the airbag device ABM can be mounted on thevehicle by mounting the mounting brackets 55 and 59 on the inner panel 2by means of the bolts 56/60 and mounting the roof head lining 8 on theinner panel 2. Then, the shielding member 41F/41R, the pretensioner 70,the airbag 51F/51R and the inflator 58 are mounted on the vehicle. Thus,the occupant restraining device S3 and the airbag device ABM can bemounted on the vehicle.

Here, the control device 64 and the rollover sensor 62 are separatelymounted on predetermined positions of the vehicle. When the occupantrestraining device S3 is mounted on the vehicle, not-shown lead wiresextending from the pretensioner 70 and the inflator 58 are connectedwith the control device 64.

After the occupant restraining device S3 was mounted on the vehicle,moreover, the control device 64 activates each pretensioner 70 inresponse to the rollover detection signal from the rollover sensor 62.Then, the pretensioner 70 pulls the leading end 72 a of the tensionmember 72 forward. In each shielding member 41F/41R, therefore, theleading end apex portion 44 moves forward from the folded state, asshown by double-dotted lines in FIGS. 15, 16 and 18 and by solid linesin FIG. 21. Then, each shielding member 41F/41R pushes and opens thedoor portion 27 of the garnish rear vertical edge portion 24 and opensthe portion 33 to be broken of the garnish lower edge portion 25, sothat it is expanded to shield the window WF/WR.

At this time, the control device 64 activates the inflator 58 of theairbag device ABM to discharge the inflating gas. Therefore, each airbag51F/51R is inflated by the inflating gas admitted into the body portion52, to break the not-shown tape member, thereby to push and open thedoor portion 8 a of the roof head lining 8. As a result, the airbag51F/51R is expanded and inflated so downward as to shield the windowWF/WR on the inner side of the shielding member 41F/41R, as shown inFIG. 21.

This occupant restraining device S3 of the third embodiment can attainthe same working-effects as the first embodiment. At the time of arollover, moreover, the shielding member 41F/41R shields the windowWF/WR on the inner side of the window WF/WR, and the airbag 51F/51R isinterposed between these shielding member 41F/41R and an occupant on theinner side so as to shield the window WF/WR, thereby to arrest theoccupant properly with the shielding member 41 (41F/41R) and the airbag51 (51F/51R).

In the occupant restraining device S3 of the third embodiment, moreover,the airbag 51F may be expanded/inflated with the head MH of the occupantM being close to the window WF, so that the airbag 51F is arranged onthe inner side I of the occupant's head MH, as shown in FIG. 22A.However, the airbag 51F is connected and supported at its upper end 52 ato and by the inner panel 2 of the upper edge portion UW of theperipheral edge of the window WF, and leaves the lower end 52 b as thefree end capable of swinging in the direction generally perpendicular tothe window WF. While the vehicle is rolling over, the occupant M mayalso leave or approach the window WF. When the occupant M leaves thewindow WF, as shown in FIG. 22B, the airbag 51F swings to the outer sideO of the vehicle and easily goes into the space between the occupant Mand the window WF or the shielding member 41F. If the airbag 51F is thensandwiched between the occupant's head MH and the shielding member 41F,as shown in FIG. 22C, the occupant's head MH can be arrested properly.These correlations likewise apply to the airbag 51R, and can be likewisecoped with in the first and second embodiments.

Of course, even if the occupant's head MH approaches the window WF/WR atthe beginning of the expansion/inflation of the airbag 51F/51R so thatthe airbag 51F/51R takes a position on the inner side of the occupant'shead MH, the shielding member 41F/41R is arranged on the inner side ofthe window WF/WR. Therefore, the shielding member 41F/41Rarrests/catches the occupant's head MH, and thus the restrainingperformance of the occupant's head MH is secured.

In the occupant restraining device S3 of the third embodiment,therefore, the airbag 51F/51R to be activated at the time of detectionof a rollover can be smoothly interposed between the occupant M and thewindow WF/WR even if the occupant M is close to the window WF/WR.

In the third embodiment, moreover, the airbag 51F/51R at the time ofcompletion of the expansion/inflation is so arranged that thesubstantially entire length of the lower end 52 b excepting the portionof the pillar portion CP/RP can overlap the completely let-off shieldingmember 41F/41R horizontally. When the airbag 51F/51R is clamped betweenthe occupant's head MH and the window WF/WR or the shielding member41F/41R, therefore, the airbag 51F/51R can be stably supported by theshielding member 41F/41R to arrest the occupant M in excellentcushioning properties.

In the third embodiment, moreover, the rear side of the lower end 52 bof the airbag 51F/51R covers the inner side of the center pillar portionCP or the rear pillar portion RP, too. Therefore, the airbag 51F/51R ismore stably supported by these pillar portions CP/RP. The airbag51F/51R, on the contrary, prevents the occupant M from engaging thecenter pillar portion CP or the rear pillar portion RP.

In the third embodiment, moreover, the vertical edge side housed portion45 constituting a major part of the shielding member 41F/41R is housedbetween the door frame rear vertical edge portion 15 and the garnishrear vertical edge portion 24 in the vertical edge portion VW of theperipheral edge of the window WF/WR, and the pretensioner 70 as thelet-off means 48 of the shielding member 41F/41R is interposed betweenthe door frame lower edge portion 16 and the garnish lower edge portion25 in the lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge of the windowWF/WR. In other words, there is a more space between the door framelower edge portion 16 and the garnish lower edge portion 25 in the loweredge portion DW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR than in theupper edge portion UW or the generally vertically extending verticaledge portion VW in the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR. As in thefirst and second embodiments, therefore, the pretensioner 70 as thelet-off means 48 can be easily arranged in the lower edge portion DW ofthe door FD/RD. Moreover, the pretensioner 70 is close to the shieldingmember 41F/41R housed in the vertical edge portion VW of the peripheraledge of the window WF/WR, so that it is easily connected to theshielding member 41F/41R and easily let off the same. Theseworking-effects can also be attained in the first and secondembodiments.

In the case of the third embodiment, moreover, the shielding member41F/41R is formed into such a generally triangular sheet shape at thetime of let-off completion that its apexes 42/43 are located at theupper and lower portions in the vertical edge portion VW at the housingtime and its apex 44 is located at the leading end portion extendingalong the lower edge of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR.Moreover, the upper/lower apex portions 42/43 are fixed on the doorframe rear vertical edge portion 15 of the vertical edge portion VW, andthe leading end apex portion 44 is connected to the leading end 72 a ofthe pretensioner tension member 72. At the housing time, moreover, theshielding member 41F/41R is formed into such an inverted L-shape thatthe vertical edge side housed portion 45 is housed in the vertical edgeportion VW and the lower edge side housed portion 46 having the leadingend apex portion 44 is housed in the lower edge portion DW near thevertical edge portion VW.

With this construction, at the action time of the pretensioner 70, asshown by double-dotted lines in FIG. 15, the leading end apex portion 44is moved forward to establish tensions at the shielding member obliqueside 41 a between the leading end apex portion 44 and the upper apexportion 42 and at the shielding member lower edge portion 41 b betweenthe leading end apex portion 44 and the lower apex portion 43, therebyto complete the letting-off of the shielding member 41F/41R.

At this time, the shielding member 41F/41R is so housed in the loweredge portion DW that its leading end apex portion 44 connected to theleading end 72 a of the pretensioner tension member 72 may protrude fromthe vertical edge portion VW. As compared with the case in which theshielding member 41F/41R is housed as a whole in the vertical edgeportion VW, therefore, the motion stroke of the leading end apex portion44 till the let-off completion can be shortened by the length L1 (asreferred to FIG. 20) of the lower edge side housed portion 46 extendingfrom the housed position in the vertical edge portion VW. Therefore, theload on the pretensioner 70 as the let-off means 48 can be lightened tomake the pretensioner 70 simple and compact. These working-effects canalso be attained in the first and second embodiments.

Moreover, the following working-effects can be attained from theconstruction including the vertical edge side housed portion 45 to behoused in the vertical edge portion VW, and the lower edge side housedportion 46 to be housed in the lower edge portion DW by arranging theleading end apex portion 44 connected to the let-off means 48.

At first, at the time of letting off the shielding member 41F/41R, theoblique side 41 a in the generally triangular sheet shape at the let-offcompletion substantially rises from the corner C of the peripheral edgeof the window WF/WR such that it rotates clockwise, as viewed from theinner side, on the upper apex portion 42. As in the first and secondembodiments, therefore, the shielding member 41F/41R is smoothly letoff, even if the occupant M is extremely close to the peripheral edge(especially the lower edge) of the window WF/WR on the inner side, so asto raise the occupant M from the lower side.

Secondly, since the shielding member 41F/41R is not wholly housed in thevertical edge portion VW, the space for housing the vertical edge sidehoused portion of the shielding member can be minimized, enabling theshielding member 41F/41R to be arranged easily in the door FD/RD havinga limited space. These working-effects can also be attained in the firstand second embodiments.

Here, the third embodiment has been described on the case in which theshielding member 41F/41R and the airbag 51F/51R are activated at thetime of detection of a rollover. However, the construction may bemodified by connecting the side collision sensor capable of detecting aside collision of a vehicle with the control device 64 so that theshielding member 41 and the airbag 51 may be activated at the time ofthe side collision of the vehicle.

The occupant restraining devices S1 to S3 of the first to thirdembodiments have been described on the case in which the unitsU0/U1/U0F/U0R are assembled and in which the shielding member 41 isassembled in advance with the garnish 21/21A. As in an occupantrestraining device S4 of a fourth embodiment, however, the shieldingmember 41 and the let-off means 48 may be sequentially arranged with thedoor frame 12 without forming the unit.

In the occupant restraining device S4 of the fourth embodiment, as shownin FIGS. 25 to 27, the sheet-shaped shielding members 41F/41R arearranged individually in the front/rear door FD/RD. However, theindividual shielding members 41F/41R and their let-off means 48 are notassembled with the door frame garnish 21.

The shielding member 41F/41R is formed into a triangular sheet shape, asshown in FIG. 25, and the upper/lower mounting portions 42/43 on therear edge side are mounted on the individual door frames 12F/12R of thedoors FD/RD by means of predetermined bolts. The mounting portions 42/43are fixed individually on the upper and lower portions of the rearvertical edge portion 15 of the door frames 12F/12R in the peripheraledge of the windows WF/WR. The portion 44 on the front end side at thetime of expansion of each shielding member 41F/41R is connected to theupper end 87 d of the third rod 87 c in the piston rod 87 by means ofpredetermined bolts. Moreover, the shielding member 41F/41R is housed insuch an inverted L-shape as to cross the corner C on the rear side ofthe lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WRwhile being folded in a bellows shape toward the rear side. In theshielding member 41F/41R thus folded, the vertical edge side housedportion 45 is covered with the rear vertical edge portion 24 of the doorframe garnish 21F/21R, and the lower edge side housed portion 46 iscovered with the upper edge side of the upper trim 40 a of the door trim40.

Each door frame garnish 21F/21R is made of a synthetic resin such as athermoplastic elastomer of polyolefin and is mounted on the door frame12F/12R and positioned on the upper edge side of the peripheral edge ofthe window WF/WR to take an inverted U-shape, as viewed from the innerside. As in the first and second embodiments, moreover, the door portion27 to be opened to the inner side is formed in the rear vertical edgeportion 24 on the rear edge side of the door frame garnish 21.

In the upper trim 40 a, as shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, there is formed thecover portion 32. This cover portion 32 causes the shielding member41F/41R being let off to break the portion 33 and open the door portion35 so that the opening 34 is formed. Here in the fourth embodiment, thedoor trim 40 covering the inner side of the lower edge portion 16 of thedoor frame 12 is constructed to include the upper trim 40 a and thelower trim 40 b. The upper trim 40 a covers the upper edge side of thedoor frame lower edge portion 16. The lower trim 40 b covers the lowerside of the door frame lower edge portion 16. The upper trim 40 a isformed of a thermoplastic elastomer of polyolefin, and the lower trim 40b is formed of hard polypropylene.

These garnishes 21F/21R and door trim 40 are sequentially mounted on thedoor frames 12F/12R after the shielding members 41F/41R and theirlet-off means 48 were mounted on the door frames 12F/12R.

The let-off means 48 of each shielding member 41F/41R of the fourthembodiment is constructed to include the inflator 81 as the drive source80, and the connection means 85 for guiding the shielding member 41F/41Rbeing expanded. The connection means 85 is constructed to include thecylinder 86 for admitting the inflating gas from the inflator 81, andthe piston rod 87 to protrude largely from the cylinder 86 when theinflating gas flows into the cylinder 86.

As shown in FIGS. 25 and 27, the cylinder 86 is fixed on the side of thelower edge portion 16 of the door frame 12F/12R by means of not-shownmounting bracket and mounting bolts. Each cylinder 86 is covered withthe upper trim 40 a. The cylinder 86 supports the piston rod 87. As theinflating gas flows into the cylinder 86: the first rod 87 a isprotruded forward from the cylinder 86; the second rod 87 b is protrudedforward from the first rod 87 a; and the third rod 87 c is protrudedforward from the second rod 87 b. This third rod 87 c is bent at itsfront end portion and is connected at the leading end of the upper end87 d to the front end portion 44 of the shielding member 41F/41R bymeans of bolts.

The inflator 81 is of a cylinder type, which is clamped by the mountingbracket 82 as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, and is connected at its rear endside to the feed pipe 84 for feeding the rear end side of the cylinder86 with the inflating gas discharged. Each inflator 81 is fixed on thelower edge portion 16 of each door frame 12F/12R by using the mountingbracket 82 and the bolts 83. Moreover, the inflator 81 is arranged onthe front side of the lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge ofthe window WF/WR. The inflator 81 is covered with the upper trim 40 a.

In the occupant restraining device S4 of the fourth embodiment, too,when each inflator 81/81 is activated, the inflating gas discharged fromthe inflator 81/81 flows through the feed pipe 84 into the cylinder 86.In this cylinder 86, the first, second and third rods 87 a, 87 b and 87c of the piston rod 87 are sequentially protruded forward. As a result,each shielding member 41F/41R is expanded, as the third rod 87 c movesforward, from its folded state while pushing and opening the individualdoor portions 27/35 of the door frame garnish 21.

In this fourth embodiment, too, the working-effects similar to those ofthe first to third embodiments can be attained excepting the assemblingworkability of the shielding member 41F/41R and the let-off means 48.

The first to fourth embodiments have been described on the case in whichthe shielding member 41/41F/41R are housed in the front door FD and therear door RD. However, the construction may be modified such that theshielding member is housed in various doors such as a slide door used ina vehicle having three tandem seats or a back door or in the body.

As shown in FIGS. 28 to 33, an occupant restraining device S5 of a fifthembodiment is mounted on a vehicle VC having three tandem seats, and theshielding member 41 is housed in the peripheral edge of each windowWF/WS/WR of the door or body on the inner side. In this vehicle VC,moreover, there are arranged three folded airbags 51 (51F/51S/51R) ofthe airbag device ABM in the roof side rail portion RR in the upper edgeportion UW of the peripheral edge of each window WF/WS/WR extending fromthe vicinity of the front pillar portion FP through the first/secondintermediate pillar portions P1/P2 to the vicinity of the rear pillarportion RP. In this vehicle VC, moreover, there is arranged a slide doorSD which is slid backward when opened and forward when closed.

Each shielding member 41 (41F/41S/41R) is made of a flexible clothhaving a triangular sheet shape in the expanded state and is folded andhoused in the L-shape from the rear vertical edge portion VW to thelower edge portion DW in the peripheral edge of the window WF/WS/WR.Each shielding member 41 has apex portions 44/42/43 at the front endportion, the rear edge upper portion and the rear edge lower portion inthe expanded state. The apex portion 44 is connected to the let-offmeans 48, and the apex portions 42/43 are fixed on the upper and lowerportions of the vertical edge portion VW in the peripheral edge of thewindow WF/WS/WR.

In the case of the fifth embodiment, in the shielding member 41F/41S onthe front side, the apex portion 42 is fixed on the upper portion of thevertical edge portion VW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WS inthe door frame 12 of the front door FD or the slide door SD, and theapex portion 43 is fixed on the lower portion of the vertical edgeportion VW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WS in the door frame12.

In the shielding member 41R on the rear end side, the apex portion 42 isfixed on the inner panel 2 on the side of the body 1 in the upperportion of the vertical edge portion VW of the peripheral edge of thewindow WR, and the apex portion 43 is fixed on the inner panel 2 on theside of the body 1 in the lower portion of the vertical edge portion VWof the peripheral edge of the window WR.

The individual apex portions 42/43 of the shielding member 41F/41S/41Rare fixed by means of bolts or the like.

Moreover, the individual shielding members 41 are let off the peripheraledges of the windows WF/WS/WR by the let-off means 48. This let-offmeans 48 is activated by the control device 64, as in the firstembodiment, and comprises: the inflator 81 as the drive source 80; thecylinder 86 and the piston rod 87 as the connection means 85; the feedpipe 84 for feeding the inflating gas; and the flow control valve 90.

Each inflator 81 is fixed on the lower side of the peripheral edge ofthe window WF/WS/WR in the door frame 12 or the inner panel 2 by meansof the mounting bracket 82. Each cylinder 86 is fixed on the lower edgeportion DW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WS/WR in the doorframe 12 or the inner panel 2 by means of a not-shown mounting bracket.

Moreover, each shielding member 41F/41S/41R is covered, when folded andhoused in the L-shape, with the door frame garnish 21, the door trim 40or a quarter trim (or a window edge garnish) 20.

The door frame garnish 21 of each door FD/SD is formed into an invertedU-shape having the upper edge portion 22, the front vertical edgeportion 23 and the rear vertical edge portion 24. The inner side of thelower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WS isformed of the door trim 40. In each rear vertical edge portion 24,moreover, as in the first to fourth embodiments, the door portion 27 tobe pushed and opened by the shielding member 41 being let off isarranged on the end side of the inner peripheral edge side of the windowWF/WS. The door portion 27 is provided with the thin hinge portion 28(not shown) on the inner side end portion so that it can be easilyopened. Each of these garnishes 21 is also made of integral two-colormolded part of a soft portion near the door portion 27 and a generalportion other than the door portion 27.

The door trim 40 of each door FD/SD is constructed of the upper trim 4 aon the upper side and the lower trim 40 b on the lower side. On theupper edge side of the upper trim 40 a, as in the second embodiment,there is formed the cover portion 32 which has a portion to be broken sothat the door portion may be opened, when pushed by the shielding member41, to form an opening. Each door trim 40 is made of two-color moldedpart, in which the upper trim 40 a and the lower trim 40 b areintegrally formed. The portion near the cover portion 32 is made as thesoft portion of a thermoplastic elastomer of polyolefin, and the portionother than the cover portion 32 is made as the general portion of hardpolypropylene having a compatibility with the soft portion.

The quarter trim 20 is arranged to cover the inner sides of the verticaledge portion VW and the lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge ofthe window WR, and is provided with the rear vertical edge portion 24and the lower edge portion 25. Moreover, the quarter trim 20 is fixed onthe inner panel 2 on the side of the body 1 by means of bolts or thelike.

On the rear vertical edge portion 24 of the quarter trim 20, as shown inFIG. 31, such a door portion 27 is arranged on the end side of the innerperipheral edge side of the window WR as is pushed and opened by theshielding member 41R when the folded shielding member 41R is expanded.As in the first embodiment, the door portion 27 is provided at its innerside end portion with the thin hinge portion 28 so that it is easilyopened. Moreover, the vertical edge side housed portion 45 of the foldedshielding member 41 is so housed between the door portion 27 and theinner panel 2 that its front side is covered with the door portion 27 ofthe inner peripheral edge side of the window WR.

On the upper edge side of the lower edge portion 25 of the quarter trim20, as shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, there is arranged the cover portion 32.In this cover portion 32, there is arranged the thin portion 33 to bebroken, which extends longitudinally in the vehicle. As in the first andthird embodiments, the cover portion 32 covers over the lower edge sidehoused portion 46 of the folded shielding member 41R. Moreover, thecover portion 32 covers over the track which is followed by the movingof the third rod 87 c.

Moreover, the quarter trim 20 of the fifth embodiment is also formed oftwo-color molded part having the soft portion 29 and the general portion26. The soft portion 29 constructs the vicinity of the door portion 27and the vicinity of the cover portion 32 and is made of a thermoplasticelastomer of polyolefin so that the door portions 27/35 may be easilyopened. The general portion (or the hard portion) 26 is a portion of thetrim 20 other than the soft portion 29 and is made of hard polypropyleneso as to have a compatibility with the molding material of the softportion 29 and to retain the strength. The quarter trim 20 can bemanufactured by setting a surface skin (not numbered) in a molding dieto mold either one of the soft portion 29 or the general portion 26 andthen the other portion 26/29.

The airbag 51 (51F/51S/51R) of the airbag device ABM is constructed tofeed the inflating gas from the inflator 58 through a feed pipe 57.

As shown in FIGS. 28 and 33, the inflator 58 is arranged on the innerside I of the inner panel 2 of the body 1 in the roof side rail RR. Theinflator 58 is constructed to include a cylinder type body portion 58 a,and a pipe-shaped communication portion 58 b for guiding the inflatinggas discharged from the body portion 58 a into the feed pipe 57. Theinflator 58 is fixed on the inner panel 2 such that it is held by themounting bracket 59 for clamping the body portion 58 a and such that themounting bracket 59 is mounted to the inner panel 2 by means of thebolts 60.

In this occupant restraining device S5 of the fifth embodiment, too, thecontrol device 64 activates the individual inflators 81/58 when itreceives predetermined signals from the rollover sensor 62 or the sidecollision sensor 63. As shown in FIG. 33, more specifically, theindividual shielding members 41F/41S/41R shield the windows WF/WS/WR.The individual airbag 51F/51S/51R are expanded and inflated with theinflating gas admitted from the inflator 58 through the feed pipe 57.

In the occupant restraining device S5 of the fifth embodiment, moreover,if the shielding member 41R is housed between the quarter trim (or thewindow edge garnish) 20 of the peripheral edge of the window WR and thebody 1, the airbag 51R can be arranged in the roof side rail portion RRon the side of the body 1 of the vehicle VC despite that the window WRis arranged in the body 1.

In the occupant restraining device S5 of the fifth embodiment,therefore, the airbag device ABM can be arranged in the vehicle VCwithout any problem even if the occupant restraining device is mountedtogether with the airbag device ABM in the vehicle VC.

Especially in the embodiment, since the shielding member 41R and thelet-off means 48 are arranged in the lower edge portion DW and thevertical edge portion VW of the peripheral edge of the window WR, theairbag 51R can be more easily mounted on the vehicle VC.

In the occupant restraining device S5 of this case, too, the garnish 20is provided with the door portion 27/35 which covers the shieldingmember 41R and which can be pushed and opened by the shielding member41R when this shielding member 41R is let off. Therefore, the shieldingmember 41R before let off can be covered with the door portion 27/35 ofthe garnish 20 so that the design on the inner peripheral edge side ofthe window WR is not degraded. It is natural that the shielding member41R is smoothly let off while pushing and opening the door portion27/35.

At the letting-off time of the shielding member 41R, moreover, the doorportion 35 breaks and opens the portion 33 of the peripheral edge.Therefore, the housed shielding member 41R can be covered morebeautifully.

Moreover, this garnish 20 is made of two-color molded part composed ofthe soft portion 29 of the vicinities of the door portion 27 and thecover portion 32, and the remaining general portion 26, as describedhereinbefore, and can be easily manufactured.

An occupant restraining device S6 of a sixth embodiment is constructed,as shown in FIGS. 34 and 35, to include the shielding member 41(41F/41R) which is so let off the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR asto shield the inner side of the window WF/WR. The airbag device ABM isalso mounted on the vehicle which carries the occupant restrainingdevice S6. The airbag device ABM is constructed to include the airbag 51(51F/51R) which is so inflated from the peripheral edge of the windowWF/WR as can be interposed between the shielding member 41 and theoccupant.

The shielding member 41 is activated by the pretensioner 70 as thelet-off means 48, and the airbag 51 is expanded and inflated with theinflating gas from the inflator 58. The pretensioner 70 and the inflator58 are so controlled by the control device 64 that they are activated bythe control device 64 when this device 64 receives the rolloverdetection signal from the rollover sensor 62. Here, the control device64 and the rollover sensor 62 are arranged at the predeterminedpositions of the vehicle.

In the vehicle of the sixth embodiment, too, the window WF/WR isarranged individually in the front door FD and the rear door RD, and theshielding member 41F is arranged in the front door FD whereas theshielding member 41R is arranged in the rear door RD. On the other hand,the airbag 51F/51R is arranged in the roof side rail portion RR on theside of the body 1. Specifically, the airbag 51F is arranged from theportion over the front door FD to the portion over the center pillarportion CP in the peripheral edge of the window WF, and the airbag 51Ris arranged from the portion over the rear door RD in the peripheraledge of the window WR to the portion over the rear pillar portion RP.

The front door FD and the rear door RD are made to have constructionssubstantially identical to each other excepting the differences in theopening shapes of the window WF/WR and the shapes of the peripheraledge, as shown in FIG. 35. Each of them is constructed to include: thedoor frame 12 on the outer side, a door frame garnish 121 arranged onthe peripheral edge of the window WF/WR on the inner side of the doorframe 12; and a door trim 131 arranged below the window WF/WR on theinner side of the door frame 12.

Each door frame 12 is made of a sheet metal and its individual parts arearranged in the peripheral edge encircling the window WF/WR as in theembodiments described hereinbefore. Each door frame 12 is provided withthe upper edge portion 13, the front/rear vertical edge portions 14/15and the lower edge portion 16. To the vicinities of the upper/loweredges of the rear vertical edge portion 15, there are mounted the apexportions 42/43 of the individual shielding member 41F/41R.

Each door frame garnish 121 is made of a synthetic resin such as athermoplastic elastomer of olefin or the like and is constructed, as inthe fourth embodiment, to have individual portions that are arranged onthe peripheral edge on the upper side on the window WF/WR. Specifically,each garnish 121 is constructed to include an upper edge portion 122 andfront/rear vertical edge portions 123 and 124. The upper edge portion122, the front vertical edge portion 123 and the rear vertical edgeportion 124 are formed to have such generally U-shaped sections as canbe fitted on the inner sides of the upper edge portion 13, the frontvertical edge portion 14 and the rear vertical edge portion 15 of thedoor frame 12 in the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR (as referred toFIG. 38).

In the rear vertical edge portion 124 of the garnish 121 for coveringthe housed shielding member 41F/41R, as shown in FIGS. 38 and 39, thereis arranged a door portion 127 which is pushed and opened by theshielding member 41F/41R being let off. The leading end side of thesection of the door portion 127 is directed to the outer side. Moreover,the door portion 127 is provided with such a thin hinge portion 128 atthe end portion on the inner side that the door portion 127 may beeasily opened. On the side of a base portion 126 of the garnish rearvertical edge portion 124 on the side apart from the door portion 127,as shown in FIG. 38, there is formed a clip portion 126 a. This clipportion 126 a is of a push-and-expand type for mounting the garnish 121on the rear vertical edge portion 15 of the door frame 12. The clipportion 126 a is constructed of a cylindrical retaining leg 126 b and acore member 126 c. When the clip portion 126 a is to be used, theretaining leg 126 b is inserted into a retaining hole 15 c of the rearvertical edge portion 15. The core member 126 c is inserted into thatretaining leg 126 b. At this time, the retaining leg 126 b isdiametrically expanded to improve the retaining strength to theperipheral edge of the retaining hole 15 c. Moreover, the vertical edgeside housed portion 45 of each folded shielding member 41 is housedbetween the door portion 127 and the rear vertical portion 15 of thedoor frame 121 while being covered on its front side with the doorportion 127.

Here, in case the garnish 121 is made of a synthetic resin, as has beendescribed hereinbefore, the vicinities of the door portion 127 and thehinge portion 128 are formed as the soft portion of such a softsynthetic resin such as a thermoplastic elastomer of olefin or the likeso that the door portion may be easily opened at the time of expansionof the shielding member 41. On the other hand, the remaining portion isformed as the general portion (or the hard portion) of such a hardsynthetic resin such as polypropylene as to retain the strength.Moreover, the garnish 121 may be made of a two-color molded part havinga compatibility to each other.

As shown in FIGS. 34 to 37, each door trim 131 is constructed of a lowertrim 132 positioned on the lower side and an upper trim 133 positionedon the upper side of the lower trim 132. This lower trim 132 isconstructed of a base portion 132 a and a surface skin 132 b. The baseportion 132 a is made of a hard synthetic resin such as polypropylene,and the surface skin 132 b covers the base portion 132 a and is formedof a thermoplastic elastomer such as olefin or styrene, fabric orleather.

The upper trim 133 is of a three-layered structure of a base portion134, a surface skin 136 and a foamed layer 135. The base portion 134 ismade of a hard synthetic resin such as polypropylene. The surface skin136 is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer such as olefin or styrene,fabric or leather to cover the surface on the inner side. The foamedlayer 135 is sandwiched between the surface skin 136 and the baseportion 14 and is formed of polyurethane. On the side of the upper face133 a of the upper trim 133, as shown in FIGS. 36 and 37, there areformed a moving passage 137 and a closing portion 138. The movingpassage 137 allows the movement of the vicinity of a connection portion50 between the let-off means 48 and the shielding member 41. The closingportion 138 is arranged over the moving passage 137 and can form anopening 140. Here, this upper trim 133 corresponds to a garnish forcovering the inner side of the lower edge portion DW of the peripheraledge of the window WF/WR.

The closing portion 138 of the sixth embodiment is arranged on the sideof the upper face 133 a of the upper trim 133 and is constructed of acap 139. This cap 139 is removably mounted on the peripheral edge of agroove 134 e formed in the base portion 134. The groove 134 e constructsthe moving passage 137 and is constructed of the bottom wall 134 a andthe side walls. 134 b/134 c of the base portion 134, as shown in FIG.37. The side walls 134 b/134 c are extended upward from the two sides ofthe inner/outer side portions of the bottom wall 134 a. Moreover, thegroove 134 e is arranged to extend forward from the rear lower corner C(as referred to FIGS. 1 and 2) of the peripheral edge of the windowWF/WR along the lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge of thewindow WF/WR. Moreover, the groove 134 e extends to the arrangementposition of the body 71 of the pretensioner 70. Moreover, the opening140 is so formed that the cap 139 comes off the base portion 134 to openthe portion over the moving passage 137. At the opposed positions of theupper ends of the two side walls 134 b/134 c of the base portion 134,there are formed retaining pawls 134 d. These retaining pawls 134 dretain the later-described retaining leg portions 139 c/139 d of the cap139. Each retaining pawl 134 d is formed intermittently along the sidewalls 134 b/134 c instead of over the entire length thereof.

The cap 139 is formed of a soft material such as rubber or athermoplastic elastomer into a long shape having an inverted U-shapedsection having a cover portion 139 a and the retaining leg portions 139c/139 d. The retaining leg portions 139 c/139 d extend downward from theinner side portion and the outer side portion of the cover portion 139a. This cover portion 139 a closes the opening 140 when the individualretaining leg portions 139 c/139 d are retained on the retaining pawls134 d of the base side walls 134 b/134 c. At the closing time, the coverportion 139 a closes the opening 140 together with the recesses 134 f ofthe peripheral edge of the groove 134 e. The cap 139 is so arranged thatits rear end 139 e goes slightly below the door portion 127 of thegarnish rear vertical edge portion 124, as shown in FIG. 39.

On the front side of the moving passage 137 having the groove 134 e,there is housed the tension member 72 of the pretensioner 70 with theshielding member 41F/41R being housed. On the rear side of the movingpassage 137, on the other hand, there is housed the lower edge sidehoused portion 46 of the shielding member 41F/41R. When the tensionmember 72 is pulled forward at the action time of the pretensioner 70,the cap 139 is pushed out by the vicinity of the connection portion 50(i.e., the lower end 41 ab of the later-described oblique side 41 a ofthe shielding member 41, in the embodiment). Specifically, the vicinityof the connection portion 50 between the tension member 72 and theshielding member 41 pushes out the cap 139 to disengage the retainingleg portions 139 c/139 d from the retaining pawls 134 d so that the cap139 comes out of the peripheral edge of the groove 134 e.

Here, the side of the body 1 of the peripheral edge of the door FD/RD isconstructed by arranging the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3, asshown in FIG. 38. On this side of the body 1, moreover, there isarranged the weather strip 5 for sealing the outer peripheral edge ofthe door FD/RD. Moreover, the weather strip 5 is pressed, when the doorFD/RD is closed, against the apex portion 121 a of the garnish 121protruding to the inner side or against the front edge, the lower edgeand the rear edge of the lower side of the door FD/RD away from thegarnish 121. The apex portion 121 a of the garnish 121 protruding to theinner side is arranged at the upper edge portion 122, the front verticaledge portion 123 and the rear vertical edge portion 124.

As in each of the embodiments, each shielding member 41 (41F/41R) is soformed of a flexible cloth of polyester yarns or polyamide yarns as toshield the window WF/WR, as shown in FIGS. 34 and 35. The major part ofthe shielding member 41F/41R, as designated by numeral 45, is housed inthe vertically extending vertical edge portion VW on the back side ofthe peripheral edge of the window WF/WR, and the remaining portion 46 ishoused in the lower edge portion DW in the peripheral edge of the windowWF/WR. Each vertical edge side housed portion 45 is folded and housedbetween the rear vertical edge portion 15 of the door frame 12 and therear vertical edge portion 124 of the door frame garnish 121. Each loweredge side housed portion 46 is housed in the groove 134 e (or the movingpassage 137) on the side of the upper face 133 a of the upper trim 133of the door trim 131.

As in each of the embodiments, each shielding member 41F/41R is formedinto a generally triangular sheet shape having the apex portions42/43/44, the oblique side 41 a and the lower edge portion 41 b.Moreover, the upper and lower apex portions 42/43 are fixed at the upperand lower portions of the rear vertical edge portion 15 of the doorframe 12 in the vertical edge portion VW, and the leading end apexportion 44 is connected to the leading end 72 a of the tension member 72of the pretensioner 70.

As shown in FIG. 35, moreover, each shielding member 41F/41R is housedin an inverted L-shape composed of the vertical edge side housed portion45 and the lower edge side housed portion 46. This lower edge sidehoused portion 46 is covered with the cap 139. The shielding member41F/41R is folded to take such a folding-fan shape on the upper apexportion 42 of the shielding member 41 in the flatly expanded state thatthe folding width is larger on the side of the lower edge portion 41 bthan on the side of the upper apex portion 42.

Here, the lower edge side housed portion 46 of each shielding member 41in the housed state is housed in about one third to one fifth of theentire length of the groove 134 on the side closer to the garnish rearvertical edge portion 124.

As in the third embodiment, the pretensioner 70 of the let-off means 48is constructed of the body 71 and the flexible tension member 72. Thebody 71 is constructed by using a gas generator having an electricmotor, restoring force of a spring, an electromagnetic solenoid and aclutch mechanism so as to tense the tension member 72 instantly. Thebody 71 is mounted at the lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edgeof the window WF/WR and on the inner side face of the door frame loweredge portion 16.

As in each of the embodiments, the airbags 51F/51R are made so separateand independent of each other as to be inflated into a bag shape withthe inflating gas from the inflator 58. The airbag 51F/51R is providedwith the body portion 52, the gas inlet portion 53 and the mountingportion 54. The airbag 51F/51R is arranged in the roof side rail portionRR by fixing each of the mounting portions 54 together with the mountingbrackets 55 on the inner panel 2 on the side of the body 1 by means ofbolts 56.

At the time of expansion/inflation of each airbag 51F/51R, the lower endside of the body portion 52 can swing as a free end to the inner side orthe outer side in the direction generally perpendicular to the windowWF/WR.

In each of the embodiments, moreover, the airbag 51F/51R is folded inthe bellows shape from the lower end side to the upper end side of thebody portion 52 and is housed in the upper edge portion UW in theperipheral edge of each window WF/WR. The airbag 51F/51R thus housed iscovered with the roof head lining 8 on the inner side of the roof siderail portion RR. In the lower edge of the roof head lining 8, there isarranged the door portion 8 a which can be opened to the inner side. Atthe expansion/inflation time, moreover, the airbag 51F/51R pushes andopens the door portion 8 a and protrudes downward so as to be interposedbetween an occupant and the shielding member 41F/41R.

As in each of the embodiments, inflator 58 is mounted as a cylinder typeon the inner panel 2 of the roof side rail portion RR by using themounting bracket 59 and the bolts 60. The inflator 58 is made into adual type, and discharges an inflating gas from its two ends to expandand inflate the airbags 51F/51R simultaneously.

Here will be described how to mount the occupant restraining device S6of the sixth embodiment on the vehicle. Each shielding member 41F/41R isfolded in a folding-fan shape on the upper apex portion 42, and thefolded shielding member 41F/41R is then wrapped with a plurality ofnot-shown breakable tape members for preventing itself from collapsing.Then, the shielding member assembly is prepared by mounting the leadingend 72 a of the tension member 72 of the pretensioner 70 on the leadingend apex portion 44. In this folded state, the folded portion 45 fromthe upper apex portion 42 to the lower apex portion 43 provides thevertical edge side housed portion 45, and the folded portion from thelower apex portion 43 to the leading end apex portion 44 provides thelower edge side housed portion 46. This lower edge side housed portion46 is housed in the grooves 134 e (or the moving passage 137) of theupper trim 133.

After this, the upper apex portion 42 of each shielding member 41 isfixed on the upper portion of the door frame rear vertical edge portion15, and the lower apex portion 43 of the shielding member 41 is fixed onthe lower portion of the door frame rear vertical edge portion 15.Moreover, the pretensioner body 71 is fixed at a predetermined positionof the lower edge portion 16 of the door frame 12. While the lower trim132 and the upper trim 133 of the door trim 131 being assembled with thedoor frame lower edge portion 16, the tension member 72 and the loweredge side housed portion 46 of the shielding member 41 are housed in themoving passage 137 having the groove 134 e. Moreover, the cap 139 isassembled with the portion of the base portion 134 by retaining theretaining leg portions 139 c/139 d on the retaining pawls 134 d to closethe opening 140. When the garnish 121 is assembled with the door frame12, it is possible to complete the assembly of the door FD/RD and theassembly of the shielding member assembly with the door FD/RD.

Here will be described how to mount the airbag 51F/51R on the vehicle.Each airbag 51F/51R is folded and is wrapped with not-shown breakabletape members so that it may not collapse. Next, the mounting bracket 55is mounted on each mounting portion 54 of the airbag 51F/51R. The airbagassembly is formed by connecting each gas inlet portion 53 to theinflator 58 and by mounting the mounting bracket 59 on the inflator 58.After this, the airbag device ABM can be mounted on the vehicle byfastening the individual mounting brackets 55/59 to the inner panel 2 bymeans of the bolts 56/60 and mounting the roof head lining 8 on theinner panel 2. Then, the occupant restraining device S6 and the airbagdevice ABM can be mounted on the vehicle by mounting the shieldingmember 41F/41R, the pretensioner 70, the airbag 51F/51R and the inflator58 to the vehicle.

Here, the control device 64 and the rollover sensor 62 are separatelymounted at the predetermined positions of the vehicle, and not-shownlead wires extending from the pretensioner 70 and the inflator 58 areconnected with the control device 64 when the occupant restrainingdevice S6 is to be mounted on the vehicle.

After the occupant restraining device S6 was mounted on the vehicle,moreover, the control device 64 activates each pretensioner 70 when itreceives a rollover detection signal from the rollover sensor 62.Subsequently, each pretensioner 70 pulls the leading end 72 a of thetension member 72 forward. At this time, the vicinity of the obliqueside lower end 41 ab of the shielding member 41F/41R interferes with thecover portion 139 a of the cap 139 to push up the cap 139 out of theretaining pawls 134 d of the base portion 134. Here, the vicinity of theoblique side lower end 41 ab of the shielding member 41F/41R is locatedin the vicinity of the connection portion 50 between the shieldingmember 41F/41R and the tension member leading end 72 a. When the cap 139is released, moreover, the opening 140 is formed over the moving passage137 of the upper trim 133 so that the oblique side 41 a moves smoothlyforward together with the tension member leading end 72 a and the loweredge portion 41 b in the moving passage 137 without interfering with thesurrounding members. As a result, each shielding member 41F/41R pushesand opens the door portion 127 of the garnish rear vertical edge portion124, as shown by double-dotted lines in FIGS. 35 to 37, from its foldedstate, and expands to shield the window WF/WR.

At this time, moreover, the pretensioner 70 moves the connection portion50 between the tension member 72 and the shielding member 41 along thelower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR.Therefore, the shielding member 41, which has been housed in thevertical edge portion VW and the lower edge portion DW of the peripheraledge of the window WF/WR, is let off. Moreover, the shielding member 41has its oblique side 41 a let off obliquely upward from the rear lowercorner C, at which the vertical edge portion VW and the lower edgeportion DW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR intersect, therebyto shield the inner side of the window WF/WR.

Even if an occupant (e.g. a driver or a passenger) leans against theperipheral edge of the window WF/WR on the inner side, therefore, theshielding member 41 is smoothly let off while making an upwardinterference to raise the occupant.

Still moreover, the closing portion 138 formed of the cap 139 normallycloses over the moving passage 137, so that it does not degrade theappearance of the lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge of thewindow WF/WR.

Moreover, the control device 64 activates the inflator 58 when itreceives a rollover detection signal from the rollover sensor 62. Atthis time, the inflating gas is discharged from the inflator 58 so thatthe airbag 51F/51R is inflated with the inflating gas admitted by thebody portion 52. Then, the airbag 51F/51R breaks the not-shown tapemembers and pushes and opens the door portion 8 a of the roof headlining 8 to expand and inflate downward to shield the window WF/WR onthe inner side of the shielding member 41F/41R.

In the occupant restraining device S6 of the sixth embodiment, morespecifically, the shielding member 41F/41R shields the window WF/WR onthe inner side of the window WF/WR, and the airbag 51F/51R is interposedbetween the shielding member 41F/41R and the occupant on the inner sideof the shielding member 41F/41R thereby to shield the window WF/WR. As aresult, the occupant can be properly arrested by the shielding member 41(41F/41R) and the airbag 51 (51F/51R).

Even if this occupant restraining device S6 of the sixth embodiment ismounted together with the airbag device ABM on the vehicle, therefore,the airbag device ABM can be arranged on the vehicle without anyproblem. Even if the occupant leans against the peripheral edge of thewindow WF/WR on the inner side, moreover, the shielding member 41F/41Rcan be smoothly let off to shield the window WF/WR. At the normal time,moreover, the lower edge portion DW in the peripheral edge of the windowWF/WR is closed at the moving passage 137 by the closing portion 138 sothat its appearance degradation is not invited. At the letting-off timeof the shielding member 41F/41R, moreover, the closing portion 138 isremoved so that the opening 140 is formed in the moving passage 137.Therefore, the connection portion 50 can smoothly move laterally so thatthe shielding member 41F/41R can shield the window WF/WR.

In the sixth embodiment, moreover, the shielding member 41F or thelet-off means 48 is arranged not in the upper edge portion UW of theperipheral edge of the window WF/WR, on which the airbag device ABM ismounted, but in the lower edge portion DW or the vertical edge portionVW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR. Therefore, the shieldingmember 41 or the let-off means 48 hardly obstruct the mounting of theairbag 51F/51R on the vehicle even if it might be arranged in the doorFD/RD or on the side of the body 1.

In the sixth embodiment, as in each of the embodiments, the shieldingmember 41F/41R is arranged, when housed, in the lower edge portion DWwhile extending from the vertical edge portion VW of the peripheral edgeof the window WF/WR. In other words, the housed shielding member 41F/41Ris housed not only in the vertical edge portion VW of the peripheraledge of the window WF/WR but also in the lower edge portion DW.Therefore, as compared with the case in which the whole shielding member41F/41R is housed exclusively in the lower edge portion DW or in thevertical edge portion VW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR, theshielding member 41F/41R can be dispersed between the lower edge portionDW and the vertical edge portion VW in the peripheral edge of the windowWF/WR. As a result, the shielding member 41F/41R can be housed easilycoping with a limited space in the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR.

In the let-off means 48 of the six embodiment, moreover, the letting-offdirection is set along the lower edge portion DW. The portion 50 of theshielding member 41F/41R to be moved at the letting-off time is housedin advance in the lower edge portion DW, and the let-off means 48 isconnected to that portion 50. Therefore, the let-off means 48 can beminimized in its moving stroke so that it can be made simple andcompact.

Here, the sixth embodiment has been exemplified by the construction inwhich the cap 139 constructing the closing portion 138 comes completelyout of the peripheral edge of the moving passage 137 formed of thegroove 134 e of the upper trim 133 when forming the opening 140.However, the construction may be modified such that the cap 139 does notcome off the upper trim 133 completely. For example, the end portion 139b (as referred to FIG. 37) on the inner side of the cover portion 139 ais bonded to the surface skin 136 of the recess 134 f by welding meansusing vibrations or adhering means using an adhesive. In this case, thecap 139 does not leave the upper trim 133 completely even if the cap 139comes out to form the opening 140.

On the other hand, one retaining leg portion 139 d on the outer side orthe inner side of a cap 139A is made partially long, as shown in FIG.40. Moreover, the retaining leg portion 139 d may be retained on arelease preventing retaining portion 134 g. This retaining portion 134 gis provided at the base portion 134A of the upper trim 133. With thisconstruction, when the opening 140 is to be formed, the retaining legportion 139 d is not completely extracted from the release preventingretaining portion 134 g even if the retaining leg portion 134 c comesout of the retaining pawl 134 d. Therefore, the cap 139A does not leavethe upper trim base portion 134A. The release preventing retainingportion 134 g is formed of a hole for retaining the retaining legportion 134 d on its peripheral edge. Here, the cap 139A may be reversedfrom the shown embodiment to open the cover portion 139 a to the innerside.

Moreover, the upper trim 133 of the six embodiment may be constructed asan upper trim 173 shown in FIG. 41. In this upper trim 173,specifically, a closing portion 178 is formed of an openable doorportion 179. This door portion 179 is arranged in the lower edge portionDW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR in the upper trim 173.This upper trim 173 is made of three layers of a base portion 174, afoamed layer 175 and a surface skin 176 like the upper trim 133. On theupper face 173 a of the upper trim 173, the outer side end portion ofthe portion extending longitudinally of the vehicle along the lower edgeportion DW is used as the door portion 179. This door portion 179 has athin hinge portion 174 a arranged at the base portion 174 which ispositioned at the inner side end portion of the door portion 179.Moreover, the door portion 179 is opened toward the upper and inner sideon the hinge portion 174 a.

On the lower face of the door portion 179 in the closed state, moreover,there are formed a position regulating rib 174 b and a guide rib 174 c.The position regulating rib 174 b extends downward from the base portion174 and extends longitudinally of the vehicle along the lower edgeportion DW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR. The guide rib 174c extends in a triangular sheet shape from the upper end of the rib 174b to the outer side wall 174 d of the base portion 174. The guide rib174 c is arranged in plurality along the lower edge portion DW.Moreover, the space of the triangular section between the ribs 174 b/174c forms a moving passage 177. This moving passage 177 allows themovement of the vicinity of the connection portion 50 between thepretensioner 70 as the let-off means 48 and the shielding member 41. Inthis moving passage 177, there are housed the tension member 72 of thepretensioner 70 and the lower edge side housed portion 46 of theshielding member 41. The position regulating rib 174 b prevents thetension member 72 and the lower edge side housed portion 46 of theshielding member 41 from moving to the inner side. The guide ribs 174 care formed to interfere with the oblique side 41 a to help the same riseand open the door portion 179. Specifically, the ribs 174 c interferewith the oblique side 41 a when the pretensioner 70 acts so that thevicinity of the lower end 41 ab of the oblique side 41 a in the vicinityof the connection portion 50 between the tension member 72 a and theshielding member 41 advances and rises obliquely upward.

In this upper trim 173, the vicinity of the oblique side lower end 41 abof the shielding member 41 in the vicinity of the connection portion 50interferes with the guide ribs 174 c of the door portion 179 when theleading end 72 a of the tension member 72 is pulled to move forward atthe action time of the pretensioner 70. Moreover, the vicinity of thelower end 41 ab pushes up and opens the door portion 179 to the innerside so that an opening 180 is formed over the moving passage 177 of theupper trim 173. Therefore, the oblique side 41 a moves together with thetension member leading end 72 a smoothly forward in the moving passage177 without any interference so that each shielding member 41F/41R isexpanded from its folded state to push and open the door portion 127 ofthe garnish rear vertical edge portion 124 thereby to shield the windowWF/WR.

Here, the door portion 179 may be so reversed from the shown embodimentas to be opened to the outer side. Here, in this construction, the innerside end portion of the door portion 179 may be provided with a slit inbetween the body side of the upper trim 173 and itself so that it may bearranged separately from the body side of the upper trim 173.Alternatively, the later-described breakable portion may be provided atthe inner side end portion of the door portion 179 of this constructionso that the door portion 179 may be arranged continuously with the bodyside of the upper trim 173.

Moreover, the upper trim 133 of the sixth embodiment may be constructedinto an upper trim 183, as shown in FIG. 42. In this upper trim 183, aclosing portion 188 is made of the breakable portion 189. This breakableportion 189 is arranged in the lower edge portion DW of the peripheraledge of the window WF/WR in the upper trim 183. This upper trim 183 isconstructed of a three-layered structure of a base portion 184, a foamedlayer 185 and a surface skin 186 like the upper trims 133/173. On theside of an upper face 183 a of this upper trim 183, the portionextending along the lower edge portion DW and longitudinally of thevehicle is provided as the portion 189 to be broken. This portion 189 isprovided with a slit 184 b in the base portion 184 so that it may beeasily broken. Moreover, the portion 189 to be broken is made to have atwo-layered structure of the foamed layer 184 and the surface skin 186.In the portion of the slit 184 b in the foamed layer 185, there isfurther formed a recess 185 a which is recessed upward.

On the peripheral edge of the slit 184 b of the portion 189 to bebroken, there are formed position regulating ribs 184 a/184 a extendingdownward from the base portion 184 while opposing each other. The ribs184 a/184 a are extended longitudinally of the vehicle along the loweredge portion DW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR. Moreover,the portion including the recess 185 a in the vicinity between thoseribs 184 a/184 a forms a moving passage 187. This moving passage 187allows the movement of the vicinity of the connection portion 50 betweenthe pretensioner 70 and the shielding member 41. In this moving passage187, there are housed the tension member 72 of the pretensioner 70 andthe lower edge side housed portion 46 of the shielding member 41.

In this upper trim 183, if the leading end 72 a of the tension member 72is pulled to move forward on the action time of the pretensioner 70, thevicinity of the oblique side lower end 41 ab of the shielding member 41near the connection portion 50 interferes with the foamed layer 185 andthe surface skin 186 of the portion 189 to be broken. Then, the vicinityof the lower end 4lab breaks the foamed layer 185 and the surface skin186 of the portion 189 to be broken, so that an opening 190 is formedover the moving passage 187 of the upper trim 183. Therefore, theoblique side 41 a moves together with the tension member leading end 72a smoothly without any interference forward in the moving passage 187 sothat each shielding member 41F/41R is expanded from its folded state topush and open the door portion 127 of the garnish rear vertical edgeportion 124, thereby to shield the window WF/WR.

Here, the construction may be modified, as shown in FIG. 43, in case theclosing portion is constructed of the portion to be broken. A portion199 to be broken as a closing portion 198 is arranged in an upper trim193. The upper trim 193 is arranged in the lower edge portion DW of theperipheral edge of the window WF/WR. This upper trim 193 is constructedof a three-layered structure of a base portion 194, a foamed layer 195and a surface skin 196 like those of the upper trims 133/173/183. In theupper trim 193, moreover, the portion extending longitudinally of thevehicle along the lower edge portion DW is provided as the portion 199to be broken on the side of an upper face 193 a. This portion 199 to bebroken is provided with slits 194 a/195 a in the base portion 194 andthe foamed layer 195 so that it may be easily broken. Moreover, the partof the portion 199 to be broken is made into the two-layered structureof the surface skin 196 and the later-described case upper wall portion201 d.

A case 201 is formed of such a synthetic resin of a thermoplasticelastomer of olefin or the like as can be welded to the base portion 194by vibrations and so on. The case 201 is formed into a generally squarecylinder shape having a bottom wall portion 201 a, side wall portions201 b/201 b and an upper wall 201 d. The side wall portions 201 b/201 bare extended upward from the inner/outer side end portions of the bottomwall portion 201 a. The upper wall portion 201 d connects the upper endsof the side wall portions 201 b/201 b to each other. Moreover, the upperwall portion 201 d is provided with a thin strength-lowered portion 201e extending longitudinally of the vehicle along the lower edge portionDW. Moreover, the upper wall portion 201 d is constructed to form doorportions 201 f/201 g which are opened to the inner side and the outerside when the strength-lowered portion 201 e is broken. On the outersides of the side wall portions 201 b/201 b, there are formed stepportions 201 c which are to be welded to the base portion 194. Moreover,the inside of the case 201 forms a moving passage 197. This movingpassage 197 allows the movement of the vicinity of the connectionportion 50 between the pretensioner 70 and the shielding member 41. Inthis moving passage 197, there are housed the tension member 72 of thepretensioner 70 and the lower edge side housed portion 46 of theshielding member 41.

In this upper trim 193, the vicinity of the oblique side lower end 41 abof the shielding member 41 in the vicinity of the connection portion 50interferes with the case upper wall portion 201 d of the portion 199 tobe broken, when the leading end 72 a of the tension member 72 is pulledat the action time of the pretensioner 70 to move forward. Then, thevicinity of the lower end 41 ab breaks the strength-lowered portion 201e and the surface skin 196 of the portion 199. Therefore, an opening 200is formed over the moving passage 197 of the upper trim 193. As aresult, the oblique side 41 a moves together with the tension memberleading end 72 a smoothly without any interference forward in the movingpassage 197, so that each shielding member 41F/41R is expanded from itsfolded state to push and open the door portion 127 of the garnish rearvertical edge portion 124 to shield the window WF/WR.

Still moreover, a closing portion 208 may be constructed as an uppertrim 203 shown in FIG. 44. This closing portion 208 is constructed of acover-shaped surface skin 209 of a surface skin 206. The cover-shapedsurface skin 209 is arranged on the surface side of an upper trim upperface 203 a forming the lower edge portion DW of the peripheral edge ofthe window WF/WR. The upper trim 203 is constructed of a three-layeredstructure having a base portion 204, a foamed layer 205 and a surfaceskin 206 like those of the upper trim 133. Moreover, the base portion204 and the foamed layer 205 have slits 204 a/205 a formed in theportion of the closing portion 208. In the surface skin 206, there isformed a slit 206 c which extends in the outer side edge over the slits204 a/205 a and along the lower edge portion DW. Moreover, the surfaceskin 206 is formed to have a cover-shaped surface skin 206 b and a body206 a. The cover-shaped surface skin 206 b is arranged over the slits204 a/205 a across the slit 206 c. The body 206 a is arranged to enclosethe cover-shaped surface skin 209.

On one peripheral edge across the slit 204 a of the base portion 204,e.g., on the inner side peripheral edge, there is formed a side wall 204b which extends upward. On the other peripheral edge, there is formed aside wall 204 d which extends upward. The side wall 204 b is formed tohave an inverted L-shaped section. At the portion on the side of theslit 204 a, there is formed a guide rib 204 c which has such atriangular sheet shape as to make the clearance from the side wall 204 dthe narrower as it goes the more upward. This guide rib 204 c isarranged in plurality along the lower edge portion DW. In the side wall204 d, there is formed a groove 204 e which is opened upward. In thisgroove 204 e, there are fitted the end portion 206 b of the body 206 aof the surface skin 206 and the end portion 209 a of the cover-shapedsurface skin 209. Here, the two end portions 206 a/209 a are so fittedin the groove 204 a by means of an adhesive that the cover-shapedsurface skin 209 can be peeled on the action time of the pretensioner 70from the side of the body 206 a. Below the slit 204 a of the baseportion 204, on the other hand, a cover 211 is so fixed on the baseportion 204 as to close the slit 204 a.

Moreover, the space between the side walls 204 b/204 d and between thecover 211 and the cover-shaped surface skin 209 forms a moving passage207. This moving passage 207 allows the movement of the vicinity of theconnection portion 50 between the pretensioner 70 as the let-off means48 and the shielding member 41. In this moving passage 207, there arehoused the tension member 72 of the pretensioner 70 and the lower edgeside housed portion 46 of the shielding member 41.

In this upper trim 203, the vicinity of the oblique side lower end 41 abof the shielding member 41 near the connection portion 50 interfereswith the cover-shaped surface skin 209, if the leading end 72 a of thetension member 72 is pulled at the action time of the pretensioner 70 tomove forward. Subsequently, the end portion 209 a of the cover-shapedsurface skin 209 leaves the end portion 206 b of the surface skin body206 a. An opening 210 is formed over the moving passage 207 of the uppertrim 203 because the vicinity of the lower end 41 ab pushes up and opensthe cover-shaped surface skin 209 to the inner side. Then, the obliqueside 41 a moves together with the tension member leading end 72 asmoothly without any interference forward in the moving passage 207 sothat each shielding member 41F/41R is expanded from its folded state topush and open the door portion 127 of the garnish rear vertical edgeportion 124 thereby to shield the window WF/WR.

Here, the cover-shaped surface skin 209 may be so reversed from theshown embodiment as to be opened to the outer side.

In the occupant restraining device S6 of the sixth embodiment, on theother hand, the shielding member 41 is expanded to push and open thedoor portion 127 of the garnish rear vertical edge portion 124.Specifically, the shielding member 41 before let off can be covered withthe door portion 127 of the garnish 121 and thus does not degrade thedesign of the inner peripheral edge side of the window WF/WR. It isnatural that the shielding member 41 can be smoothly expanded to pushand open the door portion 127. Moreover, this door portion 127 maybeconstructed, as shown in FIG. 45, such that a vertically extending thinportion 129 to be broken is provided at the peripheral edge of the doorportion 127 in a rear vertical edge portion 124A and is broken at theexpanding time of the shielding member 41 to push and open the doorportions 127/127.

Here, a garnish 121A shown in FIG. 45 is constructed to form a shieldingmember unit U1. On the other hand, the vicinity of the door portion 127is formed as the soft portion 29 of a thermoplastic elastomer ofpolyolefin, and the remaining portion is formed as the general portion26 of hard polypropylene. Thus, the garnish 121A is formed of atwo-color molded part in which the soft portion 29 and the generalportion 26 are integrally formed.

The sixth embodiment has been described on the case in which theshielding member 41F/41R and the airbag 51F/51R are activated when arollover is detected. However, the construction may be modified suchthat the side collision sensor capable of detecting a side collision ofthe vehicle is connected with the control device 64 so that theshielding member 41 and the airbag 51 may be activated at the sidecollision time of the vehicle.

Moreover, each of the embodiments has-been described on the case inwhich the shielding member 41/41F/41R/41S is housed from the verticaledge portion VW to the lower edge portion DW on the back side of thevehicle in the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR/WS. Like the reardoor RD shown in FIG. 46, however, the shielding member 41R may behoused from the vertical edge portion VW to the lower edge portion DW onthe front side of the vehicle. This mode can naturally be applied to theperipheral edge of the front door FD or the window on the side of thebody 1.

Like a seventh embodiment shown in FIGS. 47 and 48, still moreover, theshielding member 41F/41R may be housed only in the vertical edge portionVW of the peripheral edge of the window WF/WR on the rear side or thefront side of the vehicle. The shielding member 41F in the shownembodiment is housed between the door frame rear vertical edge portion15 and the door frame garnish rear vertical edge portion 24 in thevertical edge portion VW on the vehicle's rear side of the peripheraledge of the window WF. The shielding member 41R is housed between thedoor frame front vertical edge portion 14 and the door frame garnishfront vertical edge portion 23 in the vertical edge portion VW on thevehicle's front side of the peripheral edge of the window WR. Theseshielding members 41F/41R can be folded, if the leading end apex portion44 is brought close to the lower apex portion 43 by folding them in abellows shape having crests and valleys parallel to the vertical edgeportion 41 c (as referred to FIGS. 23A and 24A and FIG. 15) from theexpanded state, and can be housed in the individual vertical edgeportions VW.

In each of the embodiments, the shielding member 41/41F/41R is formedinto the sheet shape, but the shielding member may also be formed into anet shape, a mesh shape or a belt shape as long as it can shield thewindow WF/WR/WS. For example, the shielding member 41 may be formed intoa belt shape having only the side of the oblique side 41 a of theshielding member 41 or into a T-shaped belt having the oblique side 41 aand a line joining the center of the oblique side 41 a and the corner C.Moreover, the shielding member may be formed into a bag shape capable ofadmitting the inflating gas from the inflator instead of a sheet shape.In this modification, the shielding member maybe directly expanded withthe inflating gas from the inflator.

In each of the embodiments, however, the shielding member 41/41F/41R ismade of a flexible thin sheet material so that it can be housedcompactly by folding it.

In case the pretensioner 70 is used as the let-off means 48 of theshielding member 41, the tension member 72 itself may be used as a partof the shielding member 41.

As in the occupant restraining device S8 of the eighth embodiment shownin FIGS. 49 and 50, for example, a shielding member 250F/250R may beconstructed to include a flexible triangular sheet member 251F/251R forcovering the side of the front lower corner C2 of the window WF or therear lower corner C1 of the window WR, and a string member 261F/261Racting as the tension member 72. This string member 261F/261R isconnected at its leading end side to the substantially entire length ofthe oblique side 251 a on the upper edge side of the sheet member251F/251R. The sheet member 251F/251R uses the lower edge portion 251 bas the stationary edge portion, and is fixed at the front/rear endportion 252/253 of the lower edge portion 251 b on the lower edgeportion 16 of the door frame 12F/12R on the side of the lower edgeportion DW.

The string member 261F is bonded at its leading end portion 261 a to theoblique side 251 a in the sheet member 251F to cross the window WF andis fixed at its leading edge portion 261 a together with the end portion252 of the sheet member 251F to the lower edge portion 16 of the doorframe 12F in the vicinity of the center pillar portion CP. Moreover, thestring member 261F is wound at its root portion 261 b on a free roller255 fixed near the front portion of the upper edge portion 13 in thedoor frame 12F and on a free roller 256 fixed near the upper end of therear vertical edge portion 15 in the door frame 12F, so that the rootportion 261 b is connected in a tensible manner to the body 71 of thepretensioner 70 which is arranged in the lower edge portion 16 of thedoor frame 12F.

The string member 261R is bonded at its leading end portion 261 a to theoblique side 251 a of the sheet member 251R to cross the window WR andis fixed at its leading edge portion 261 a together with the end portion252 of the sheet member 251R to the lower edge portion 16 of the doorframe 12R in the vicinity of the center pillar portion CP. Moreover, thestring member 261R is wound at its root portion 261 b on a free roller255 fixed near the rear portion of the upper edge portion 13 in the doorframe 12R and on a free roller 256 fixed near the upper end of the frontvertical edge portion 14 in the door frame 12R, so that the root portion261 b is connected in a tensible manner to the body 71 of thepretensioner 70 which is arranged in the lower edge portion 16 of thedoor frame 12R.

In the folded state of the shielding member 250F/250R, the sheet member251F/251R is folded close to the lower edge portion 251 b together withthe string members 261F/261R along the lower edge portion 251 b so thatit may be covered with the lower edge portion 25 of the door framegarnish 21F/21R. On the other hand, the string member 261F is housedalong the garnish 21F from the side of the door frame front verticaledge portion 14 through the free roller 255/256 so that its portionextending from the sheet member 251F may be covered with the garnish 21Fon the side of the door FD. Moreover, the string member 261R is housedalong the garnish 21R from the side of the door frame rear vertical edgeportion 15 through the free roller 255/256 so that its portion extendingfrom the sheet member 251R may be covered with the garnish 21R on theside of the door RD.

In this eighth embodiment, the control device 64 activates, when itreceives a predetermined signal from the rollover sensor 62 or the sidecollision sensor 63, each pretensioner body 71 as the drive source ofthe let-off means 48. Then, each string member 261F/261R is tensed whilebeing guided by the free roller 255/256. The sheet member 251F takes amode in which the oblique side 251 a rises backward obliquely upwardfrom the front lower corner C2 of the window WF, and the sheet member251R takes a mode in which the oblique side 251 a rises forwardobliquely upward from the rear lower corner C1 of the window WR, so thateach shielding member 250F/250R shields the window WF/WR. At this actiontime, the string member 261 and the sheet member 251 push and open thedoor portion 27/35 of the garnish 21 (as referred to FIG. 50).

In this occupant restraining device S8 of the eighth embodiment, thestring member 261F/261R and the free roller 255/266 are arranged at theupper edge portion UW of the window WF/WR. These arranging portions arelocated at the upper edge portion 13 and the front/rear vertical edgeportions 14/15 on the side of the door frame 12F/12R. Moreover, thosemembers are not bulky unlike the drive source of the let-off means 48.Therefore, the occupant restraining device S8 can be mounted without anyproblem on the vehicle even if it is mounted to a vehicle together withan airbag device arranged on the roof side rail portion.

In each of the embodiments, moreover, the airbag 51F/51R is arranged atthe two front/rear portions of the vehicle. However, the airbags 51F/51Rmay be integrated by connecting their lower ends to each other by a belt61 (as referred to FIGS. 47 and 48) or may be made of such one airbag asis covered with the front pillar garnish 5 of the front pillar portionFP from the lower edge 8 a of the roof head lining 8 in the roof siderail portion RR. It is quite natural that the occupant restrainingdevice S1/S2 according to the present invention may be mounted on avehicle which is not provided with an airbag device ABM.

Here, the foregoing individual embodiments have been described on thecase in which only one shielding member shields the window WF/WR/WS.However, a plurality of shielding members may be let off to shield asingle window.

Moreover, the shielding member may be constructed to cover not only theinner side of a window but also the outer side of the window.

1-21. (canceled)
 22. An occupant restraining device comprising: ashielding member adapted to be released from a peripheral edge structureof a window of vehicle to shield the inner side of the window; and arelease mechanism for releasing the shielding member from a housed stateto shield the window, wherein: the shielding member is housed in avertical portion extending generally vertically on the front side or therear side of the window peripheral edge structure; the release mechanismis arranged in a lower portion of the peripheral edge structure whilebeing connected to the housed shielding member, and moves a connectionportion to the shielding member along the lower portion of theperipheral edge structure upon deployment of the shielding member; and apath along which the connection portion of the release mechanism and theshielding member move, and a closing portion openably covering the pathare arranged in the lower portion of the peripheral edge structure. 23.The occupant restraining device according to claim 22, wherein theshielding member is arranged, when housed, at the lower portion of theperipheral edge structure while being extended from the verticalportion.
 24. The occupant restraining device according to claim 22,wherein: a garnish is arranged at the vertical portion of the peripheraledge structure so as to cover the housed shielding member; the garnishincludes a door portion covering the housed shielding member; and thedoor portion is pushed and opened by the shielding member when theshielding member is released.
 25. The occupant restraining deviceaccording to claim 24, wherein the door portion is opened by breakage ofa peripheral edge thereof when the shielding member is released.
 26. Theoccupant restraining device according to claim 22, wherein: the closingportion is constructed of a removable cap arranged at the lower portionof the peripheral edge structure; and at the time the shielding memberis released, the cap is pushed out of the lower portion of theperipheral edge structure, by a moving member in the vicinity of theconnection portion, to form an opening.
 27. The occupant restrainingdevice according to claim 22, wherein: the closing portion isconstructed of an openable door arranged at the lower portion of theperipheral edge structure; and at the time the shielding member isreleased, the door portion is pushed and opened by a moving member inthe vicinity of the connection portion, to form an opening.
 28. Theoccupant restraining device according to claim 22, wherein: the closingportion is constructed of a portion to be broken arranged at the lowerportion of the peripheral edge structure; and at the time the shieldingmember is released, the portion to be broken is pushed and broken by amoving member in the vicinity of the connection portion, to form anopening.
 29. The occupant restraining device according to claim 22,wherein: a surface skin is arranged on the surface of the lower portionof the peripheral edge structure; the surface skin includes a body and acover-shaped surface skin peelable from the body; the closing portion isconstructed of the cover-shaped surface skin; and at the time theshielding member is released, the cover-shaped surface skin is pushed bya moving member in the vicinity of the connection portion and is peeledfrom the body, to form an opening.